The Nigeria Labour Congress and the
Trade Union Congress on Friday in Abuja vowed
to hold the incoming Maj.-Gen.
Muhammadu Buhari (retd.)-led government accountable in respect of his party’s
promises to Nigerians and workers in particular.
Buhari was elected President on the
platform of the All Progressives Congress in the March 28 election.
The unions said this at the 2015 May
Day celebration with the theme ‘The Working Class, Democratic Consolidation and
Economic Revival: Charting the Way to National Rebirth’.
The NLC President, Mr Ayuba Wabba,
urged the incoming administration to revive the Ajaokuta Steel complex,
stressing that the edifice was conceived to be the cornerstone of Nigeria’s
industrialisation programme.
“Unfortunately, our political class
has refused to accept the simple truth that no country can truly industrialise
without iron and steel industry.
“The fate of Aladja, Osogbo, Jos and
Katsina steel rolling mills post-privatisation, is too grim to recall here.’’
Wabba advised the government which,
is to be inaugurated on May 29, to view development from the prism of tapping
into the abundant economic potential offered by the entrepreneurial drive of
Nigerians.
He said resources were locked up in
the soil and that any country ‘subserviently’’ reliant on importation, was only
exporting jobs.
While urging the president-elect to
pay attention to agriculture as it has the capacity to employ millions of
Nigerians, the NLC added that the government must also lead the way by making
farming attractive to young people through the provision of agricultural
inputs, equipment and other relevant infrastructure.
“There is also the need to establish a strong
linkage between different sectors of our economy, especially with regard to
promoting industrialisation and manufacturing.
“This will focus on turning our
agricultural products and other natural resources into quality semi-processed
and fully processed goods,” he said.
On the issue of unemployment, he
noted that the incoming administration had promised to create three million
jobs yearly.
“Our leadership will take up all
levels of government on their commitment to job creation and will not relent
till we see tangible results on these scores,” Wabba stated.
He noted that the prevailing
economic downturn and the devaluation of the naira had eroded the purchasing
power of the Nigerian worker.
The NLC boss said, “The National
Minimum Wage of N18,000, that was negotiated in 2010, is clearly no longer of
any meaningful economic value to workers. The five-year circle for
periodic review of the National Minimum Wage is at hand.
“We wish to use this May Day
celebration to give formal notice that we shall table a request for a new
minimum wage for consideration soon after the new administration is sworn in.’’
He advised state governments and
other employers of labour, yet to discharge their obligations under the current
national minimum wage regime, to do so immediately as they were breaking the
law by not complying with the provisions of the 2011 National Minimum Wage Act.
On his part, President of TUC, Mr
Bobboi Kaigama, called the attention of the incoming government to
address the problems in the economy, national security, anti-corruption
war, national unity and cohesion, among others.
Kaigama said if the president-elect
must succeed, his administration must be quick to reverse the present ratio
between capital and recurrent expenditure.
“This should be done in such a way
that 60 per cent of our total annual revenue projections would be dedicated to
the enhancement of social infrastructure and human capital development,” he
said.
The TUC president added that the
incoming government must fashion out effective ways of checking the wastage of
the resources, curtailing theft in the oil sector, money laundering,
over-invoicing and double-invoicing of contracts, dumping of foreign goods and
excessive borrowing among others.
“We charge the incoming government
to chart long-term goals but focus on the implementation of short-term and
medium-term goals,” Kaigama stated.
Buhari under attack by NLC, TUC , tasks him to fulfill promises during his campaign
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Friday, May 01, 2015
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