Nigerian workers under the aegis of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), on Saturday, issued a strong message to the Federal Government to urgently tackle the rising insecurity in the country.
The workers, who are members of various unions affiliated to the NLC, arrived the Eagle Square in the nation’s capital Abuja to celebrate the 2021 International Workers Day.
May 1st of every year has been set aside to mark International Workers Day.
The unions sighted by Daily Trust on Sunday at the Eagle Square – venue of the celebration, include NUT, SSANU, NUPENG, PENGASSAN, JOHESU, MHWUN, NMA, NARD, ASUU, ASUP, among others.
The workers, who waited for government officials to arrive, sang solidarity songs with different placards showing their displeasure over current situation in the country.
Speaking during the celebration, National President of NLC, Ayuba Wabba, explained that choosing ‘Save Lives at Work’ as theme of this year’s edition is significant, coming at the period of the global fight against COVID-9.
He added that the contribution of frontline workers, especially healthcare workers, was a formidable buffer between deaths in thousands and deaths in millions.
NLC demanded the listing of occupational health and safety as a fundamental right at work and recognition of COVID-19 as a workplace disease and compensable occupational hazard.
Wabba and his TUC counterpart, Quadri Olaleye, also demanded urgent action aimed at curtailing the spread of insecurity in the country.
