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Amid the Workers’ Day Celebration across the country, New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) has lamented rising inflation in the economy and its negative effects on the masses, and workers as well.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Ladipo Johnson, yesterday said that the situation “was a worrisome matter and a great concern to the National Working Committee of the party led by Ahmed Aduji,” reports Daily Independent.
In a statement marking this year’s Workers’ Day in Abuja, the party while hailing the workers for coping with the economic hardship said they deserve better for a “reasonable and higher standard of living”.
The statement noted the efforts of the government on the minimum wage for workers but lamented that many states are yet to implement the policy across the country.
This is as it bemoaned the challenge of low wages, job insecurity and inclement work environment, among other issues, that workers are faced with.
Johnson used the occasion to congratulate Nigerian workers for their courage and tenacity in wading through the economic situation in the country.
He maintained that the current economic situation was against the spirit and letters of the theme for this year’s May Day celebration which is “Social Justice and Decent Work for All”.
As it called on governments at all levels to cut the cost of governance and prioritise workers’ welfare as a cardinal concern in their policies and programmes.
While urging defaulting states to pay the minimum wage, gratuity arrears and create better working conditions for workers, it added that non-remittance of contributions into the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) by both public and private sector employers was also highlighted by the NNPP as a major concern that needed to be addressed in the interest of Nigerian workers.
