…threatens nationwide strike over Naira, fuel scarcity, urges Nigerians to vote based on competence
KEMI OMONIYI
Comrade Joe Ajaero has emerged as the President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
This is as he threatened to mobilise Nigerian workers to occupy the streets nationwide if the fuel and Naira scarcity persists after next week.
Ajaero, in his acceptance speech, delivered at the 13th Quadrennial National Delegates’ Conference in Abuja, described the current situation where Nigerians have to queue for hours to get fuel, as well as the new Naira note, as unacceptable.
“Governance ought to provide comfort for the citizenry so, it pains us to witness the increasing frustration I had to go through in the last few months just to fuel their cars, generators, and the new phenomenon of black market Naira by an ominous at a discount from illegal brokers.
“This is entirely unacceptable. governors in Nigeria seem to have broken all new records for bad governance will definitely not keep quiet in the face of deliberate defilement of citizens by the ruling elite, as we may mobilise vigorously across the nation, to make the government to act more responsibly towards the citizenry and seek ways of alleviating the suffering that currently walks our streets with arrogance.
“We pledge to lead the battle to reclaim Nigeria from the front. In this spirit, the NLC urges the federal government to take immediate action to set free the deposits of Nigerians it has impounded in the banks across the Federation by making cash available.
“Also, unite the petroleum products supply cardroom at the agreed price. If nothing is done before the end of next week. We shall be forced to take necessary steps to save the lives of Nigerians in conjunction with the civil society partners. The choice is in the hands of the government and we urge them to make reach the choice.”
Furthermore, he said that the NLC will pursue with utmost urgency a new national minimum wage law that would take into consideration the objective realities of our socio-economy; expand its reach to capture more workers and create variables and thresholds for automatic adjustment of the nation’s wage floor to avoid unnecessary politicking and impunity by our employers and reduce the suffering of Nigerian workers.
“Our engagement with government shall be aimed at assisting governments to cut down on the cost of governance; cut out fats and reduce the opportunities for fat cats to raid the economy. We shall seek our inclusion in various Policy cycles and join hands with government to establish the supremacy of due process in Public life thus dismantle all structures and vestiges of rent-seeking, wastes and misappropriation in public governance.”
“We would, seek the resurrection of the review of the nation’s Labour Laws through the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC) which seems to have been deliberately stalled to ensure that all legal loopholes exploited by unscrupulous workplace partners to restrict the effort at making our workplaces more Decent work compliant are blocked. To this end, we urge all employers of laboue who have unsettled labour issues with their workers and unions to immediately resolve them to avoid our intervention.
“NLC shall continue in its tradition of ensuring that Nigerians are protected from all anti- people policies and that plunder in governance are reduced to the barest minimum while government is assisted to work for the majority. We shall therefore robustly engage government to stop the impunity and pervasive wickedness currently going on in the country in the name of Petroleum product pricing.
“The current Electricity tariff and provisioning remains stacked against Nigerian workers and masses and we shall therefore work with government to bring sanity to bear to that sector. We urge the federal government again to review the Privatisation of the Electricity sector; a process both the government and all of us have agreed was mired in corruption.
“Nigeria is currently critically challenged and faces existential threats both from within and without.
“To this end, we shall work assiduously with our various affiliates and partners to strengthen our industrial unions.
Speaking further, Ajaero urged Nigerians to vote persons that are competent to position of authority.
“Once again, Nigerian workers and indeed the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have shown how leadership transition ought to occur. We therefore urge Nigerian Politicians to learn from what we have done in our leadership recruitment process; the ability to heal our wounds, build bridges, show tolerance and stand together to push the cause of Nigerian workers further in the midst of countervailing pressures.
“Our values, traditions and indeed the organisation is more important to us than personal interests so, the lives of Nigerians and the survival of the nation within the context of equity, fairness and greater inclusivity should be more important than the ambitions of our politicians especially as this year’s general elections approaches.
“Our nation comrades is currently at the edge of the precipice! It is our responsibility to pull it back!”
He said that NLC, under his leadership, will lead the charge towards assisting the nation rebuild.
“We therefore call on all patriots and key national stakeholders to join hands with us to salvage what is left of our country. It is our responsibility and indeed our civic duty to create a new trajectory; a new path for our dear nation.”
