NLC seeks workers protection to enhance security and social justice

The Nigeria Labour Congress NLC said it’s worried that despite the structural reforms on the Social Insurance and Employees Compensation in Nigeria, very insignificant number of workers enjoy the benefits of social protection as only a handful are compensated in the event of workplace mishap and attendant loss of job and livelihood.

President NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba stated this in Abuja on Wednesday at the one day 2021 NLC Round Table on Social Protection Cover.

He stressed the importance of taking deliberate steps by the authorities concerned to ensure that the ‘Workers Funds’ domiciled with the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund NSITF works for workers adding that the scope of the fund should also be expanded to accommodate Nigerians whose work and activities are in the informal economy.

“It is very unfortunate that despite contributing enormously to national development, only a few workers can boast of having decent shelter over their heads.

“It is worrying that most workers have been forced to take up rented abode in the suburbs of our cities. This paints a graphic picture of the refrain ‘monkey dey work, baboon dey chop’.

“A major flank of the crisis of the disappearance of the middle class in Nigeria has a lot to do with the inability of workers to own their own houses. How do we reduce the housing deficits among the working class of Nigeria and thereby change this ugly narrative”? He said.

According to the NLC President, since the creation of the National Health Insurance Scheme in 2005, 70 percent of Nigerians still pay out of the pocket to access healthcare while others resort to selling off assets anytime they or their loved ones fall sick.

“Those without assets to sell either self-medicate using unorthodox means or simply lay sick at home and await death. Many workers and pensioners are caught in this web”.

He said that an emerging concern from the deficits in Nigeria’s social protection cover is the climate of poor confidence coefficient on governance among the general population saying that many State governments are “guilty of this as exemplified by the tardiness and recklessness in extending and administering the Contributory Pension Scheme in the States”.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention Number 102 of 1952 lists the nine branches of social security to include medical care, sickness benefit, unemployment benefit, old-age benefit, employment injury benefit, family benefit, maternity benefit, invalidity benefit, and survivors benefit.

The minimum objectives of Convention 102 according to the document, include population percentage protected by social security schemes, level of minimum benefit to be secured to protected persons, as well as to the conditions for entitlement and period of entitlement to benefits.

The NLC President, who is also the President of the International Trade Union Confederation ITUC, is also worried that Nigeria is not standing alone in this shortfall.

He said that Africa has the least social protection cover for its citizens compared with other parts of the world with only 17.4 percent cover and called on the continent to take deliberate steps to change the trend.

“Just yesterday, the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres called for accelerated action on social protection and jobs as an escape door from uneven global recovery and future crises.

 “The UN Secretary General called for measures to achieve job-rich recovery and a just transition to a sustainable and inclusive economy”, Wabba said.

Specifically, Mr. Guterres called for jobs and social protection cover that would create at least 400 million jobs and the extension of social protection cover to 4 billion women and children currently without coverage.

The Country Director of the International Labour Organisation ILO, Vanessa Phala while stressing the importance of the Convention 102, said that the ILO adopted the Convention because of its importance and impact no the lives of workers.

The Speaker, House of Representatives in Nigeria, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila called for reasonable minimum living wage that will serve as a social protection cover for workers in the country.

He said that it was the duty of the government to ensure that there was suitable and adequate shelter and food for the people.

“There should be old age care and pensions, care for the unemployment, sick persons and welfare for the disabled should be provided this is how we will ensure that the people born in Nigeria can live life of accomplishment and contribute to the society meaningfully all through their lives,”, he said.

He noted that social protection was one of the most important responsibilities that proved how the government lived up to its constitutional obligations.

“Many of us may not realise it, but there is a strong correlation between lack of social protection, poverty and crime.

 The Speaker promised that the House would ensure he existence of a collective agreement on what it would take to achieve the best vision for Nigeria and welfare of our people.

“I assure you that in the House of Representatives we are committed to use the tools of legislative authority to advance solutions and implement policies that will help achieve the objectives of the Union”, he said.

The theme of the Round Table is “Expanding Social Protection Cover and Ensuring Effective Implementation in Nigeria”.

 

Dominica Nwabufo