By CHARLES IWUOHA

Some Enugu-based non-governmental organisations have lamented that the growing spate of casualisation of labour in most companies breeds low productivity and poverty among workers, especially youths in the country.

The groups, namely, Daniel Ukwu Leadership Foundation (DULF); Heroine Women Foundation; Impact Field Global Youth Initiative and Global Society for Anti-Corruption (GSAC), said this after a protest march against casualisation of labour within Enugu metropolis on Sunday.

The inscriptions in the placards at the peaceful protest read: ‘Stop Casualisation of Labour Now’; ‘Docility of Government on Casualisation of Labour Must Stop’; ‘Trade Union Congress Must Stand Up Against Casualisation’; and ‘Lawmakers Must Legislate Against Casualisation of Labour’.

Speaking on behalf of the groups, the Executive Director of DULF, Mr. Daniel Ukwu, said that they wanted to stop the menace gaining grounds among most private sector establishments especially banks and some national companies.

Ukwu said that the assumption that high per cent of Nigerians were gainfully employed was being eroded by them collecting pittance as emoluments and with no form of promotion uplift in the companies they spend their youthful age working daily.

“Casualisation of labour, an eyesore and taboo in the employment arenas in former times, has now become a darling of many companies and organizations. It has remained a racket of evil that has marginalised the hapless employee and reduced him to a rabble status in the labour industry.

“Most times, our future leaders, who are our youths, are being ravaged by heinous attitudes of employers of labour as well as mindless fellows that engage in casualisation of labour,’’ he said.

The spokesman, however, called on all arms and levels of governments, labour unions and other stakeholders to rise up against the negative development and ensure that a “worker gets his/her due pay and progression in a workplace.”

He said: “We call on government, especially National and State Assemblies to establish a legal framework that would abolish casualisation in the country.

“We urge Nigerians to condemn this dangerous uprising in our polity; where employers of labour take undue advantage of lack of institutional framework to be unleashing this horrendous labour practice on fellow Nigerians especially helpless youth.”

The protesters took their protest to the Central Bank of Nigeria; some commercial banks and some corporate organisations within Okpara Avenue and its environs in the Enugu metropolis.

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