The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Anambra State Council, Wednesday, lamented over the economic situations in the country and urged the government at all levels to upgrade workers remunerations to living wages capable of addressing their challenges.
The State Council Chairperson, Comrade Chinwe Orizu, who made the call at the opening of a three-day NLC Leadership Training Workshop held in Awka, the Anambra State capital, with a theme, “the Role of Labour in the growth and development of Nigeria Economy”, stressed also the needs for prompt promotions and payments of workers emoluments.
“We are appealing to the federal, state and local governments and other employers to provide descent working environments to their workers. We also demanding for prompt promotion of workers and that the financial benefits accruing to that should come immediately. It is not fair for one to wait for months or years to be paid thier financial benefits after promotions.
“Again, economic situation has made it impossible for us workers to live. What we collect now as take homes can’t take us homes again. A bag of rice has risen to about N50,000. People are hungry. Some are underpaid, unemployed and underemployed. Poverty affects the workers mental being and output. Governments should address these challenges,” she noted.
On the workshop, Comrade Orizu, said it was aimed at building workers capacities, build awareness among the working class as prerequisite for attaining a social change, deepen consciousness and build equal society.
Earlier, a keynote speaker and lecturer, from Department of Economics, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Dr Geraldine Nzeribe, enjoined workers to utilise opportunities they found themselves to build their capacities through training and retraining, which according to her, would assist in growing and developing the country.
Blueprint reports that NLC equally used the opportunity to present awards to some deserving past leaders of the council, civil society leader and others.
