Insecurity, COVID-19 Are Making Life Hard For Workers – Labour

Labour leaders have come out to lament the socio-economic and political environments in the country.

Leaders of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, National Union of Chemical Footwear Rubber Leather and Non-Metallic Products Employees, NUCFRLANMPE, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, recently came out with one voice to say that Nigerian workers are really suffering and passing through difficult times.

According to Labour, COVID-19 and insecurity have actually compounded workers’ woes during this period, so the government has to do better to provide a solution.

He added that it is huge injustice to the memory of Nigeria’s founding fathers that virtually every part of the country has been engulfed by one form of security challenge or the other.

A statement read, “It is unfortunate and a terrible injustice to the memory of Nigeria’s founding fathers that virtually every part of the country has been engulfed by one form of security challenge or the other.”

“During the 2nd NLC National Peace and Security Summit which took place on the 29th of April 2021 at the International Conference Centre, Abuja as part of this year’s May Day commemorations, it was clearly established that human insecurity as marked by mass unemployment is the main driver for the physical insecurity besieging our dear country.”

“According to data by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), unemployment figures in Nigeria has reached an all-time high of 33.3% in the last quarter of 2020 from 27.1% in the second quarter of 2020.”

“Part of the challenge of unemployment and insecurity is the crisis of poor governance. Weak budgets that lead to poor appropriations and poorer budgetary oversight is the bane of our development.”

“It is unfortunate and a terrible injustice to the memory of Nigeria’s founding fathers that virtually every part of the country has been engulfed by one form of security challenge or the other. In the North East, there is the challenge of Boko Haram terrorism. In the North West, there is the challenge of rural banditry and kidnap-for-ransom. In the North Central, there is the challenge of farmers and pastoralists clashes. In the South South, armed militants still operate in the mangroves engaged in all manner of economic sabotage. In the South West and South East, local militias are filling the vacuum created by the absence of the state and are heating up the polity with ethno-religious rhetoric.”

“In the midst of this confusion, Nigerians are asking “where is the state?” Many Nigerians understand the grave dangers of surrendering our sovereignty to a mob of violent and non-descript non-state actors. Already the numbers are piling up as the humanitarian carnage left in the wake of Nigeria’s medium to high intensity conflict continue to rise.”

“Workers are the major targets. So many teachers, health workers, agricultural and food chain workers have been either kidnapped or killed. So many working families have had the lives of their breadwinners brutally cut short leaving behind open wounds that could be the sores for another cycle of counter-violence.”

“To reclaim our country, we must be serious with security votes. Security votes should be routed through the normal budgetary process for proper oversight and accountability. The usual refrain that security is a secret business is now worn. Security is a collective task. We reiterate our call for improved social protection and investments in social services to deal with human insecurity which is the bane of physical insecurity.”