The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has charged the Federal government to rise against all forms of casualisation of work in the country, even as it urges workers irrespective of their work places to unionise and affiliate to labour centres in order to receive available constitutional-backed help towards ending unfavorable working conditions.
Addressing the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Folashade Yemi-Esan, when NLC, as part of its decent work sensitization and awareness road march, visited her office in Abuja, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, on behalf of Nigerian workers said; “We demand an immediate end to all forms of employment that offend human dignity and deny workers access to living wages, social protection and denial of right to form union. We ask employers of labour to respect the law and where the law is observed in breach, the Ministry of Labour and the other agencies of government should enforce the law.
Furthermore, the NLC President said to the HoS, “Today is a day set aside globally; to recognise the contribution of workers to the growth of economy, peace and development, and importantly, the prosperity of every country.
“The challenge that is ravaging the world today. In fact, the effect is more felt by the workers, because as we speak, the purchasing power of workers has been reduced to nothing.
“In other countries, senior citizens live with beauty and their dignity is recognised. They have houses for senior citizens. They are free medical care for senior citizens. They are housing for senior citizens, but in our own case, if you don’t have a family to take care of you, it’s between you and your God. That is not decent work.
“We agreed that the contributory pension scheme will certainly address all the challenges associated with pension payments, gratuity payment, and social security for all workers in the public service, and even in the private sector. But today as we speak even the government that promulgated that law has not been faithful in remitting its own percentage.
“That is why we have backlog of people that are retired, and they are not been paid, because the accrued rights must be available, and it must be in the retirement savings account of workers, for them to retire, and earn their benefits.
“That I think should be an issue that needed to be addressed, not losing sight of the fact that in all the tiers of government the Federal Government is trying because I am aware that recently, Mr. President approved N79 billion to pay the liability arrears of the people that have retired, and that constituted an increase of 2.5 percent and also, part of their accrued rights.
“Importantly, we are also to address the issue of precarious work in all sectors of our economy. Precarious work means that workers must work with dignity, workers must have social security. Workers must have adequate remuneration, and today, all of us are aware that civil servants are the least paid in Nigeria. When you compare it to all other sectors. Yet, they are putting their best to service the economy. These cannot continue and that is something that needs to be reviewed.
The issue of other benefits that accrue to them, particularly in the sub nationals. As we speak, only two states are faithful in implementing the contributory pension scheme, and the pension and gratuity across the 36 states is also running into billions.
In her response, the HoS, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office (SWO), Dr. Ngozi Onwudiwe, appreciated NLC for always ‘standing tall’ on issues concerning workers welfare, interest and benefits. She went on to say; “The Head of Service is the first public civil servant in the country. She takes into consideration the welfare of workers. Because if workers are not taking care of, she too will not be taking care of.
“In every forum, she makes sure to canvas for the course of workers. And I can assure you that she is the last person to condone indecent work for civil servants. I will request that you articulate your demands in writing to formally present it to the Head of Service.”
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