MAY DAY: Labour leaders lament insecurity, unemployment, poverty

As Nigerian workers join the rest of the world to mark
the May Day today, labour leaders in the country,
yesterday, said insecurity, poverty and
unemployment had been the greatest challenges
that confronted the Nigerian worker in the last one
year.
This came as fear of insecurity may mar workers'
rally in Abuja, with
union leaders saying members have not recovered
from the shock of
Nyanya Motor Park terror attack that claimed over
100 lives and
injured over 250 others.
Among the labour leaders that spoke with Vanguard
were General
Secretary of National Union of Civil Engineering
Construction,
Furniture and Wood Workers, NUCECFWW, Mr.
Babatunde Liadi; President of the National Union of
Food Beverage and Tobacco Employees, NUFBITE, Mr.
Lateef Oyelekan; President-General of Maritime
Workers of Nigeria, MWUN, Mr. Anthony Nted;
President of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural
Gas Workers, NUPENG, Igwe Achese, and General
Secretary of the National Union of Electricity
Employees, NUEE, Mr. Joe Ajaero.
Liadi said: "We have been adversely affected by the
insecurity and
rising job losses. In fact, the issue of insecurity is
really serious.
"You cannot find any meaningful construction work
going on in the
North-East of the country.
Every other industry is affected. The government
appears not be focused because of this insecurity
problem.
On the whole, we have lost about 40,000 members in
the last one year.
Nted said: "The major problems we have faced in last
one year have
been insecurity and rising unemployment and
poverty in the country. We are no longer talking of
armed robbery, oil theft and pipeline
vandals; we are faced with insurgent attacks."
Similarly, Oyelekan said that "the socio-economic
situation in the
country is very tough. The inflation rate is on the
increase and the
purchasing power of the workers has been eroded."
President of NUPENG said: "In recent times, NUPENG
has been vehement
against outsourcing and casualisation and shall
remain unshaken,
undaunted as we will never give up, until outsourcing
and
casualisation of workers in the oil and gas industry is
reduced to the
barest minimum."
For Ajaero, "as we mark this year's workers day, it
will be
instructive to note that the Federal Government's
privatisation policy
is aimed at destroying jobs, impoverishing many
Nigeria families
through consumer exploitation and profit
maximisation by the new
captains in the industry."
IG assures of security
Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police,
Mohammed Abubakar,
yesterday, assured workers of adequate security
during today's May Day
rally.
The IG, in a statement by the Force Public Relations
Officer, Frank
Mba, insisted that police would leave no stone
unturned in ensuring
the safety and security of Nigerian workers during
May Day rallies.
However, some labour leaders said the recent bomb
blast in Abuja could
mar the May Day rally.
Liadi said: "What happened in Nyanya is still fresh in
our minds.
These insurgents are looking for attention and they
always target
crowds."
For NUFBTE President, "our members have been
calling to know whether
or not we will go to Abuja for the May Day Rally,
because everybody is
afraid."
Politicians hail workers
In the mean time, former Vice President and chieftain
of All
Progressives Congress, APC, Atiku Abubakar, in a
statement released by
his media office in Abuja, has extolled the patriotism,
unbroken faith
in Nigeria and sacrifices of the Nigerian workers in
the face of tough
times.
In a statement in Lagos, yesterday, by its Interim
National Publicity
Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, APC said the past
year had been
particularly challenging for workers due to worsening
state of social
infrastructure, especially the dwindling power supply
which has
affected production and forced many companies to
downsize or relocate
to neighbouring countries.

Sent From David Aniemeka