The United Labour Congress of Nigeria (ULC) has expressed concern that Nigerian workers and masses have been abandoned to their fate by “an unconscionable ruling elite occupied with the battle for filthy lucre and the pursuit of crass political power which they intend to use to further the exploitation and humiliation of Nigerian people.”

In a communiqué issued at the end of its Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting of held recently at Yaba, Lagos Comrade Joe Ajaero, President of the Congress lamented that workplaces have truly become havens for “wicked and malicious employers who seems to be having a field day acting with impunity over the rights of workers under their employ and reducing shop floors to places of fear and trepidation. Nigerian workers have not had it this bad in a very long time as everywhere you turn; it is one harrowing tale of exploitation, abuse or another.

“Governance has been jettisoned and replaced with crass and mindless sharing of national resources accruing to our coffers not out of constructive policies and programmes but rents and loyalties from mineral deposits. What is churned out as policy constantly at various levels are frameworks that emasculates the citizenry further making them more accessible to exploitation by Capital and its agents both in Government and in Private businesses.

“The nation’s leadership has become so impervious to the sanctity of lives of the citizenry to an extent that our people are not only mowed down in our streets and villages by insurgents, kidnappers and armed robbers but those in faraway South Africa have also become easy prey to the security agencies of that country. Nigerian lives are lost in the waters of the Mediterranean more than that of any other nation and if nothing is done quickly about this carnage, it will surpass the deaths of Nigerians during the various voyages to the West through the inhuman transatlantic slave trade.

“We observe with deep angst that despite collecting huge bail-out funds from the Federal Government and the Paris Club debt refund, many state Governors have refused to pay workers’ salaries. We view this as fraudulent. You cannot use the name of Nigerian workers to collect money and then divert it to other uses. That is obtaining by tricks and is still punishable under code 419 of the Laws of the Federation.

We welcome back with joy to the country, our President, General Muhammadu Buhari from his 103 days sojourn on medical grounds in the UK. We thank God for the apparent restoration of his health and strength to fulfil his mission and promises to Nigerians which have all stood in abeyance since his protracted illness.

However, ULC urges our leaders to learn from this episode the immediate need for us as a nation to establish standard medical facilities in the country to take care of not only the ruling elite but to also provide access to medicare for the masses and workers. It is truly a tragedy and shame that a nation that prides itself as the giant of Africa should find itself in this situation which poses not only economic difficulties for us but also great security risk for us as a nation.

“Our leaders must understand that their lives are not more important than the lives of ordinary Nigerians and indeed, Nigerian workers. All lives must be held equal and sacred according to the will of God. Hospitals backed by sound health policies should be established that would guarantee greater access to health services for the citizenry.

“While we therefore rejoice in this return, we are filled with great expectations and unfulfilled promises and hope that the rejuvenated President will hit the ground running in ensuring that the nation’s economy and society in general make progress from where it is now.”

The ULC called for an immediate convocation of a conclave for ethnic nationalities to start a conversation on the best framework to create and drive a nation that would offer a credible buy-in for its entire peoples, stressing that it is only on this basis that we can sincerely hope to make progress as a nation.

“We cannot conclude our observations without taking cognisance of the unfortunate comments by our erstwhile comrade turned politician – the former Governor of Edo state, Adams Eric Oshiomhole recently in the media. We had wanted to avoid joining issues with Adams or anyone for that matter but we think it is important that we make these clarifications to avoid the attempt at misleading Nigerians.

“We want to state that the ULC does not need the recognition of people like Adams to work for Nigerian workers who he has abandoned for a long time and where he has sought to return to by default after having used them to attain personal position as Governor. Adams was not with Nigerian workers and people in 2012 when we demanded that government stops foisting deprivations on the masses through the mindless increase in petroleum products. He was not with Nigerians when we all asked Abacha to go but he was one of those that campaigned for Abacha to stay. Nigerians should ask Adams how the quantum of lives that were lost so that he could attain popularity and perhaps the benefits of all those struggles? Adams has demonstrated continually, his penchant to use the movement as a tool for personal aggrandisement and not for a genuine love for Nigerian workers.

“Adams is a past which the movement wants to move away from and in which he insists on ensuring that we remain stuck in. He has over exaggerated his relevance to the movement and does not understand that Nigerian workers clearly demonstrated their rejection of him during the last May Day in Abuja. That ought to have been a lesson to him but he has not learnt it. We therefore call on Adams Oshiomhole to refrain from his unwarranted attacks on Nigerian workers as the outcome may not be savoury.”

The CWC-in-Session also demanded that the employers who are now colluding with the Army and other security agencies, “setting up garrisons in our factories for the purposes of intimidating and harassing workers in order to deny them their rights be called to order by the relevant agencies of government. The Army and the Police should immediately withdraw their garrisons in the different workplaces where they are currently stationed.

“The immediate payment of all the arrears of salaries owed Nigerian workers at all levels of government without exception. The Federal Government honours its 2009 agreement with University Lecturers under the umbrella of ASUU quickly so that our universities will re-open.

“The roads leading to all the petroleum refineries and depots nation-wide be repaired by the government to avoid the present carnage of lives, wastage of products and properties on these roads.

“That the proposed Bill at the National Assembly seeking to control free speech is couched under the guise of Bill against hate speech but has the real intention of protecting the ruling elite from being held accountable by the citizenry. We therefore demand the discontinuance of that obnoxious Bill.

“The withholding of registration certificate of the ULC be stopped and the certificate released forthwith so that the nation’s Industrial Relations clime will be made more inclusive and robust.

“The immediate inclusion of all representatives of labour in the various committees, Agencies and Directorates of government and not singling out just one centre for these purposes negating the tenets of the nation’s laws. Any of such appointments that have been done contrary to this, we demand an immediate reversal.

“The immediate inauguration of the National Minimum Wage Committee in line with the above so that it can commence sitting.

“That if these demands are not met within two weeks of this date, the ULC shall embark on industrial actions that would force government to correct itself and respect the interests of workers and the citizenry.”

Furthermore, the ULC pledged its commitment and loyalty to Nigeria, its workers and peoples. It also declared its determination to be available at all times towards building a nation that would enthrone equity and justice for the people.

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