The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called for peace, stability, security and good governance as workers mark the International Workers Day on May 1.
The NLC President, Mr Ayuba Wabba told newsmen on Saturday in Abuja, that peace, stability, security and good governance were the constitutional responsibility of the government.
`The constitutional responsibility of every government is about ensuring the peace and security of every citizen. This is what is supposed to occupy our political elite today and it is not about the next circle of elections.
`It should be on how we can ensure that there is peace, stability, security in every facet. I mean in every locality in Nigeria and that has not been the case.
`Therefore, it is a very serious challenge that is why we have to look at the theme of May Day, to encapsulate all of these challenges that need answers.
`Importantly, it will require a political solution, with the best of strike and best of protest; you can see that the problems have remained the same,’’he said.
Wabba announced the 2022 May Day theme as: “Labour, Politics, the Quest for Good Governance and National Development’’.
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The NLC president said this would be the focus of this year’s May Day celebration.
He also said that the theme was not all about the forthcoming general elections, rather it should be about the people, good governance and the government that would respond to issues effectively.
Wabba added, clearly speaking, we are still not out of the woods yet, the situation has become even more complicated, there are many challenges in the security spheres and other social vices in the country.
According to him, killings, abduction and kidnapping should be a matter of concern to everybody but right now, all we can only think of is elections, when there are challenges in the peace and stability of the nation.
‘In all of these, workers have been on the receiving end, in spite of the insecurity, some of our workers have to frontally engage in the issue of insecurity, such as the police, military and para-military, health workers ‘’ he said.
He added that, in spite of these challenges, their salaries wouldn’t take them home, but yet they are still on the front line.
`The essence of the May Day or International Workers Day, is actually a day set aside for workers to be recognised and appreciated for the fact that they create wealth.
‘It is the celebration of workers that create wealth, ensure stability and also provide all the services that we need to keep our economy growing and the system going.
‘That is from the ordinary farmer to the arm forces, and to the highest of all of them, that are workers, ’’he said.
Wabba also added that the day was set aside to create awareness on the lack of security and sacrifices of workers and for the political elites to be reminded of what to be done to be able to secure Nigeria.
He said workers, through their unions, have made a lot of struggles for social justice in the system and in some cases, they must be recongised and appreciated for their contributions in creating wealth in Nigeria.
He, therefore said, the theme of the 2022 May Day, tried to capture the mode of the moment with the theme: “Labour, Politics, the Quest for Good Governance and Development’’.
According to him, this is to capture the mood of the moment, whereas there is a lot of challenges including the security challenge confronting Nigerians today from different facets.
“But above all, it is for us to recognise our contributions in creating wealth in Nigeria.
Also, in a statement, the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) felicitated Nigerian workers and people
on the commemoration of the 2022 international Workers Day.
This is contained in a statement jointly a signed by Mr Ayuba Wabba, NLC President and Mr Quadri Olaleye, TUC president.
