The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC,
has vowed to hold President-elect, Maj-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari accountable
to the promises of his party to the Nigerian populace in course of
their campaigns. The NLC and TUC spoke on Friday in Abuja at the 2015 May Day
celebration with the theme: “The Working Class, Democratic Consolidation
and Economic Revival: Charting the Way to National Rebirth”.
Ayuba Wabba, the NLC President, urged Buhari to revive the Ajaokuta
steel complex in his administration saying that the plant was
established to be the foundation of Nigeria’s industrialisation
programme.
Wabba lamented that “Unfortunately, our political class has refused
to accept the simple truth that no country can truly industrialise
without iron and steel industry.
“The fate of Aladja, Osogbo, Jos and Katsina steel rolling mills post- privatization is too grim to recall here”.
Wabba advised the incoming administration to tap into the economic
potential of Nigerians as depicted by their entrepreneurial drive adding
that relying solely on exportation was robbing the Nigerian populace of
employment opportunities.
Wabba also urged the president-elect to focus on agriculture which
had the capacity to employ millions and added that the government should
provide agricultural inputs, equipments and other infrastructure which
would make farming attractive to young people.
He said: “There is also the need to establish a strong linkage
between different sectors of our economy, especially with regard to
promoting industrialisation and manufacturing.
“This will focus on turning our agricultural products and other
natural resources into quality semi-processed and fully processed
goods”.
Wabba also said that the unions were committed to holding the
in-coming administration accountable to its promise of creating three
million jobs yearly.
“Our leadership will take up all levels of government on their
commitment to job creation and will not relent till we see tangible
results on these scores,” he said.
Wabba lamented the current economic state of the country noting that
the devaluation of the naira had eroded the purchasing power of workers.
He added that a review of the National Minimum Wage was at hand. READ MORE: thescoopng
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