The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Anambra State Council, recently lamented the economic situation in the country and urged the government at all levels to upgrade workers’ remunerations to living wages capable of addressing their challenges.
The State Council Chairperson, Comrade Chinwe Orizu, made the call at the opening of a three-day NLC Leadership Training Workshop held in Awka, the Anambra State capital, with a theme, “The Role of Labour In The Growth And Development of Nigerian Economy”,
Orizu stressed also the need for prompt promotions and payments of workers’ emoluments.
“We are appealing to the federal, state and local governments and other employers to provide decent working environments to their workers. We also demand prompt promotion of workers and that the financial benefits accruing to that should come immediately. It is not fair for one to wait for months or years to be paid their financial benefits after promotions.
“Again, the economic situation has made it impossible for us workers to live. What we collect now as take homes can’t take us homes again. A bag of rice has risen to about N50,000. People are hungry. Some are underpaid, unemployed and underemployed. Poverty affects the workers’ mental being and output. Governments should address these challenges,” she noted.
Comrade Orizu; said it was aimed at building workers’ capacities, building awareness among the working class as a prerequisite for attaining social change, deepening consciousness and building an equal society.
Earlier, a keynote speaker and lecturer, from the Department of Economics, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Dr. Geraldine Nzeribe, enjoined workers to utilise opportunities they found themselves to build their capacities through training and retraining, which according to her, would assist in growing and developing the country.
NLC equally used the opportunity to present awards to some deserving past leaders of the council, civil society leaders and others.
Olusola Akintonde
