ON THE CELEBRATION OF THE 2019 WORKERS DAY

April 30, 2019

ON THE CELEBRATION OF THE 2019 WORKERS DAY

The celebration of the 2019 Workers’ Day is a call to action for all stakeholders – government, private sector and civil society. It is call for the respect, protection and fulfilment of the right to work, to earn a livelihood and to work under favourable and satisfactory conditions in full recognition of the personhood and dignity of the human person.

Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) recalls the provisions of article 23 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which entitles everyone to the right to work, free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment; equal pay for equal work and the right to form and join trade unions. We further recall that Nigeria as a state party to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights is duty bound to achieve the full realization of this right through technical and vocational guidance and training programmes, policies and techniques to achieve steady economic, social and cultural development and full and productive employment under conditions safeguarding fundamental political and economic freedoms to individuals. Also, by the domesticated African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, the right to work under equitable and satisfactory conditions and receiving equal pay for equal work is further entrenched in our jurisprudence.

Furthermore, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 in section 17 (3) (a) mandates the state to direct its policy towards ensuring that all citizen without discrimination on any group whatsoever, have the opportunity for securing adequate means of livelihood as well as adequate opportunities to secure suitable employment.

CSJ notes with regret the empirical evidence of statistics emanating from the National Bureau of Statistics on the high levels of unemployment and underemployment prevalent across all the States of the Federation. We further note the factory closures, the import dependent nature of our economy and very low local value added, leading to the export of mainly primary commodities with no value added. We also note that the many months of unpaid workers’ salaries and other emolument in many States of the Federation; the pension regime is far from being a “sustainable pension for all” with pensioners in many States of the Federation being unpaid for months and years.

Against the background of the foregoing, CSJ calls on the Federal Government and the States to recalibrate their policies and programmes to:

• Mainstream job creation in any economic growth, poverty reduction or wealth creation initiative.
• Incentivize the private and social sectors through an enabling environment for more domestic value addition to goods and services.
• Promote local content mainstreaming in every sector of the economy for a “Nigeria First” approach which will arrive at a Nigerian economy for Nigerians in Nigeria and in the Diaspora.
• Implement educational reforms that will lead to a system that prepares young Nigerians for the world of work through critical skill acquisition.
• Ensure that every worker or pensioner gets paid his/her entitlements whenever it is due as well as the full implementation of the new minimum wage regime.
• Fully reform the pensions system to free it from political interference so that it will be self-funding under contributory pension schemes. This is without prejudice to liquidating accrued arrears.

We acknowledge the enormous sacrifices made by Nigerian Workers in their daily struggle to create wealth and make ends meet. We salute their courage. Finally, the labour of present and past heroes should not be allowed to be in vain to the end that those who work should be entitled to a life in dignity through reasonable wages and pensions.

Eze Onyekpere Esq.

Lead Director