The Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC) has called for restructuring that would bring good governance, sustainable development and social justice as the country approaches the 2023 general election and beyond.
The NLC President, Mr Ayuba Wabba, said this at the 2022Workers Political Conference on Wednesday in Abuja.
The theme of the Conference is, “Commitment to National Emancipation and Development through Effective Political Engagement by Workers’’.
According to Wabba, the Conference seeks to set the Labour Agenda as a guide to our affiliates and workers and for engagement with Nigeria’s political class at federal, state, local government and ward.
He added that, we have thought hard and long about how our political elites have treated the national questions of good governance, sustainable development and social justice.
He noted that the purpose of the Political Conference was to reconstruct the critical bridge of issue-based politics that accommodates the interests of Nigerian workers and people.
According to him, our determination is that in the run up to the 2023 elections, we must not to allow professional politicians to evade critical questions of national development.
The NLC president also said the demand posits that politicians should no longer be allowed to send their kids to schools abroad or treat their sicknesses in foreign hospitals, while the poor are trapped in endless strike and poor medical facilities.
He also demanded for the promotion of decent work conditions for workers including equal pay for work of equal value, training, predictable promotion and affordable housing close to workers’ places of work,’’ he said.
Wabba said the demand also called for prompt payment of pension and other retirement benefits to the aged pensioners and the protection of all trade union rights,among others.
According to him, the next step is to engage politically. We must be ready to engage political parties especially Workers Political Party and progressive political interests across the country .
He said this was to ensure that a significant number of candidates who would vie for elective positions in 2023 subscribe to the provisions of our Charter.
He commended the signing of the Electoral Act 2022 into law, adding that, ”it is helpful that the Act allows INEC to fully deploy electronic voting systems for future elections.
Also, Prof. Attahiru Jega, Former, INEC Chairman and also Chairman of the occasion, said that Nigeria was at crossroads, as the country prepares for the 2023 general elections.
According to him, Nigerian citizens, and the working people, can either continue play the ostrich on the current trajectory of reckless, senseless, visionless journey towards democratic and socioeconomic development.
“It is time to wake up, rise and join hands in solidarity for struggles and active engagement in the political process towards, national emancipation from a devilish alliance of exploiters.
“It is time to broadly engage with and struggle for wider socio-political and economic issues, which affect all citizens” ’he said.
He, however, called for a revolution, to improve governance and quality of leadership for good and democratic governance.
“This would create a better environment for protecting, advancing, and defending the overall interest of the working people.
“A revolution may, indeed be desirable under the circumstances, but given the current realities, it is far-fetched.
“Broader patriotic and emancipatory struggles for good democratic governance may under the circumstances, help rescue the country and reposition it.
“That is towards the satisfaction of the fundamental needs and aspirations of all citizens, and improving the scope and space for working peoples,’’ he said.
Jega further said that in view of the general elections, it was time to effectively mobilise, consciencetise and involve Nigerian workers in broader political engagements towards using the electoral process to improve the leadership recruitment processes.
“This is, to elect good and popular representatives in governance, and by so doing, catalyse good democratic governance would certainly be in the overall, long-term interest of the Nigerian working people,” he said.
He called on Nigerian workers, trade unions, among others to work together with credible patriots in professional associations to bring about remarkable improvement in the politics and governance. as we inch towards the 2023 general elections.
He added that, a broad alliance of progressive forces for national rescue and emancipation is absolutely required to get Nigeria out of the current unwholesome predicament in which it finds itself.(NAN)
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