By; USMAN NASIDI, Kaduna
The Nigaria Labour Congress (NLC) in collaboration with Trade Union Congress Of Nigeria (TUC), Kaduna State Council, have demanded for a holistic review of the social contract they have with government and other employers of labour at various levels.
Speaking during this year’s international Workers Day celebration popularly known as “May Day” at Ahmadu Bello Stadium (ABS), the NLC Chairperson, Comrade Ayuba Magaji Suleiman, said that this year’s theme, “Workers’ Right And Socio-economic Justice” is so central, looking at the direct bearing of the theme to trade union struggle and prevailing realities.
According to him, workers’ rights encompass a vast array of human rights, from the right to decent work and freedom of association, equal opportunities and protection against discrimination.
He said, “workers’ rights at the international level are clearly spelt out in various human right conventions and treaties of the International Labour Organization (lLO) including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
“Meanwhile, SOCIO-ECONOMIC justice entails the actions, efforts, ideas, and activities that will make an economy more successful when it is fairer with the goal to create opportunities for all to succeed regardless of sex, race, age, disability, color, creed, national origin, religion, or genetic information.
“These rights include the right to job, to receive a fair wage, safe working condition, adequate housing, to health/safety at work, to social security, and to form or join trade unions.
“Equally, the theme is coming at the right time; a period of transition in governance at both Federal and State levels with the just concluded elections. This gives us the opportunity to demand for a holistic review of the Social Contract we have with our government and other employers of labour at various levels.
“Before I go further, permit me to congratulate the newly-elected leaders and more especially, the good people of Nigeria, for the peaceful and rancor-free conducts of the general election, despite the misgivings and chalenges it presents at the moment and as a nation that needs a high-level commitment to National Unity and Development.
“Going back to our theme and making progress, we shall build on the milestones of our Labour Political Committee who on our behalf engaged the critical political actors in the State including all the gubernatorial candidates, especially the Governor-elect Distinguish Senator Uba Sani, who pledge to work with us as partners in progress if elected.
“For us, we know him as a Comrade and want to believe he is still one. who has the activism blood running in his veins; more so, we want to believe he will keep to his words, as we have determined to engage him further on our charter of demands as earlier stated during our interactive session,” Ayuba proclaimed.
Also speaking, the Chairman TUC, Comrade Abdullahi A. Danfulani explained that every Nigerian stands tall and proud in the global democratic arena and without doubt, the theme of this year’s May Day celebration, “Workers Right and Socio-Economic Justice” is apt and timely, when considered in the light of the challenges over the years, and the need to make a shift as a nation.
According to him, great successes have been recorded by the present administration in the state, but there are yet more grounds to cover. Meanwhile Violence, Banditry, hate speeches, unemployment, poor healthcare facilities, are still evident and taking great toll on citizens of the state.
He said, “but as the present government prepares to hand over to a new one later this month, the state sees a new vista which we all, especially the working class, must crystalize to consolidate on the democratic gains of the present administration of Mal. Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai and march on to new horizons.
“The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria Kaduna State Council wishes to use this medium to call on the incoming administration of Mal. Uba Sani the Governor Elect of Kaduna State to double the effort of the outgoing Governor Mal. Nasir Ahmed el-Rufai on the issue of solid security architecture in the state.
“The police and other security agencies must be better trained, equipped and remunerated to tackle the challenges of kidnapping, banditry and all manner of modern-day warfare and criminality. Their professionalism and patriotism must be at peak levels at all times.
“We wish to inform our governor that the need to address the multifarious issues that are gradually crippling the health sector in the state in the view of finding permanent solutions to them.
“Specifically, we wish to draw your attention to the very huge and unjustified wide discrepancies in the numeration of doctors vis-a-vis other health professionals such as pharmacists, physiotherapists, medical laboratory scientists, dieticians, optometrician’s and radiographers.
“Another important areas of concern in this sector is the existence of Schools of Health Technologies in some Local Government Areas of the State that train Community Health Students without obtaining the necessary accreditation by the relevant regulatory bodies,” the TUC chairman said.
