Nigerian Labour Challenges Federal Government For Employment Oriented Approach

Nigerian Labour Congress members at an anti-corruption demonstration during 2008.
Originally uploaded by Pan-African News Wire File Photos

Labour Challenges FG For Employment Oriented Approach

Nigeria Daily Independent

With unemployment at historically high levels in Nigeria, the organized labour has challenged the Federal Government to propose a blueprint that will put employment opportunities at the centre of economic and social policies to stimulate internal consumption and protect the purchasing power of wage earners.

The president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, who in a phone chart with Daily Independent on Sunday from 99th annual conference of the International Labour Organization (ILO) stated that there is urgent need for Federal Government to use employment oriented approach to solve the nation’s growing economic crisis.

He said “The economic crisis in the country may not be over as long as unemployment and underemployment prevail. But we call on Government to propose a blueprint that will put employment opportunities at the centre of economic and social policies to stimulate internal consumption and protect the purchasing power of wage earners”.

According to Omar,Nigerian workers are finding it increasingly difficult in sustaining themselves and their families on the monthly incomes and that is the reason “we demanded minimum wage increase from the Federal Government”

Also, the President General of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Comrade Peter Esele, who spoke to Daily Independent from ILO Conference in Geneva called on the Federal Government not to be deceived by encouraging signals and indicators on global economy recovery to succumb to the temptation to return to business as usual.

He said “As the global economy seems to recover from the crisis, let us not be blinded by encouraging signals and indicators. Our leaders must ensure that unemployment remains a major concern of governments. Government must not succumb to the temptation to return to business as usual and we must collectively strive to eliminate the damage caused by the crisis on the labour market”

“Decent work and the better living standards are the best way to getting the Nation’s workers back on track and keeping the economy on the right path to achieving the nation’s vision 2020 dream”, he added

Arguing that Nigeria is facing a massive rise in poverty and the prospect of wide-scale social disruption because the Federal Governments has failed to shut the door on the regressive political and economic decisions that led the charge to dismantle regulation, and take up their responsibility to govern, Esele called the nation’s leaders to act responsibly to avoid failure

“The crisis is not a temporary phenomenon. We must learn the lessons from it and act responsibly to avoid failure. Let us move away from immobility, fear and fear of innovation to seize the opportunities that any crisis offers”, he said