• Tasks FG on refinery, pension, salary review
• Sanwo-Olu promises better deals for workers
• NUJ seeks re-introduction of media enhancement bill
• NSCDC boss promises improved condition of service
• Lagos Speaker urges support for Tinubu’s govt
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Lagos State chapter, yesterday, said workers’ salaries had lost value and become more meaningless owing to inflation in the country. It also decried threats to workers and incessant layoffs.
It, therefore, charged the Federal Government to use the $800 million recently received from the World Bank to fix the refineries.
Chairman of the NLC in Lagos State, Agnes Sessi, gave the charge at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos, during the commemoration of Workers’ Day.
Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, was absent but his deputy, Babafemi Hamzat; Lagos State Head of Service, Hakeem Muri-Okunola; Special Adviser to the Governor on Labour and Industrial Relations, Babatunde Williams and others were on ground to celebrate with the workers.
Sessi said May Day is not a time for jamboree but a time to reflect on the rights of workers.
Hamzat, who represented the governor, appreciated workers for their support in the last elections and promised prompt payment of salaries and emoluments, a better environment and the right tools
Also speaking, Chairman, NUJ Lagos chapter, Adeleye Ajayi, said: “Nigerian workers should earn living wages. There should be an adjustment and upward review of salaries of workers.
“Salary of workers in the media should be increased. So, it’s time journalists are placed on better salaries and that is why we are calling for re-introduction of the Media Enhancement Bill that was before the National Assembly but was later moved out.”
Meanwhile, the Commandant-General (CG) of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, urged personnel in all formations not to relent in carrying out the mandates of the Corps effectively, promising to continue to initiate policies and programmes that will benefit members of staff, improve their welfare and conditions of service.
In another development, Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, has urged workers to key into the ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda of Bola Tinubu government.
He also charged civil servants in Lagos State to continue to support the three arms of the state government, which have remained purposeful and constantly catered for their welfare.
Obasa, who gave the charge in a statement, yesterday, by his Chief Press Secretary, Eromosele Ebhomele, congratulated Nigerian workers as they join their counterparts across the world to mark this year’s Workers’ Day.
He described Nigerian workers as passionate, resilient, goal-oriented and ready to do their best when given the right environment and leadership.
“We truly need to congratulate workers in Nigeria for their passion to see that the country is a better place. The daily role played by each worker has a way of adding to the progress of the country.
“It is noteworthy also that the average Nigerian worker is goal-oriented and would achieve given the right environment, which we are optimistic that the administration of Tinubu is coming up with.
“As I commend workers in Nigeria for believing in the country and for their roles in the last election. I also urge them to renew their hopes and synergise same with the agenda of the incoming administration.
“This is our country; we are now in a rush to recreate a Nigeria of our collective dreams and I will urge workers to key into the activities of government for this to be achieved,” he said.
Obasa thanked members of staff of the House of Assembly for being focused and delivering effectively on their jobs just as he promised to always support them and make their welfare his priority.
