For the first time in several years, workers across the world including their Nigerian counterparts, is today marking this year’s May Day without the usual fanfare and rallies.
The workers would be constrained to mark the day, also known as ‘Workers’ Day’ indoors due to the ravaging Covid-19 pandemic which has led to the death of thousands of people across the world, forcing lockdown of several countries.
The May Day dates back to the late 19th century in Chicago, where workers went on strike to protest their long, grueling working hours in unsafe factories, construction sites, and other environments. The day is marked to commemorate the workers’ plight.
Speaking on this workers’ day, Quadri Olaleye, president of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) lamented the state of the Nigerian health system 60 years after independence, saying it was time to fix it.
Olaleye also called on the government to intervene in the prices of food and other essential commodities to help Nigerians as the country begins a gradual easing of lockdown.
“Covid -19 pandemic met us in a state of unpreparedness. The chief of staff to the president, Abba Kyari, died of coronavirus complications. Kyari’s death presents us a great opportunity to revisit our health sector challenges. All existing federal teaching/specialists hospitals should be upgraded and equipped with state of the art medical equipment to meet the modern day standards and the emerging disease conditions,” said Olaleye.
The labour leader also appealed to the government to set up standard state of the art hospitals in each of the six geo-political zones to ensure the pandemic does not consume more Nigerians. This, the TUC leadership believed, will create accessibility to all Nigerians.
“We advocate reduction of food and drug prices to enable Nigerians who survived the pandemic to recuperate well,” he added.
On the economy, the TUC called on the government to fix the existing refineries and build new ones since fuel subsidy is no longer applicable.
On diversification, he said “Covid-19 has once again brought to realisation that any economy dependent on a sole commodity is incapable of taking that country out of the wood.
“Nigeria must take advantage of her natural and human resources now. Diversification and incentives from government are key to successful industrialisation,” said Olaleye.
The congress also advocated tax rebate of, at least, three months to companies in Nigeria, especially the unionised ones, saying “this will help to reflate the economy.”
Also speaking, Williams Akporeha, president of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), urged the government to expand the quantity of the palliative being put in place to cushion the effects of the pandemic and its associated lockdown on economic activities and earning powers of individuals and corporate entities.
“Most importantly among the indigents and most vulnerable segments of the society so as to ease their pains, discomfort and hardship, so that there could be relative respite and peace in the society,” Akporeha said.
The union also empathized the need for employers of labour, particularly in the oil and gas industry to cooperate and work together with the union to encourage the survival of humanity and the challenges of revamping our workplaces.
“The fear of how the workers are going to fare against the unknown enemy and the current economic hardships are already creating social upheavals to such an extent that any further loss of jobs in our industry would achieve, nothing but complications and aggravation of an already bad situation,” NUPENG said.
Joshua Bassey
