WORKER'S DAY: NLC, TUC, RAISE ALARM OVER DECLINING SECURITY AND RISING POVERTY

Leaders of Labour and Trade Union in the country, have raised alarm over what they described as "declining security and rising poverty in the country" and have called on government at all levels to tackle insecurity and poverty in order to restore safety of lives and property as well as dignity of workers in the country.

The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, in a speech to commemorate the 2026 Worker's Day Celebration and made available to Journalists, lamented that insecurity and poverty have become prominent obstacles to productivity, noting that majority of Nigerians are living in abject poverty and that insecurity has prevented farmers from cultivating their farms. "If we remove insecurity today, you see that there will be food everywhere. People will go back to their farms. You don't even need the government to bring any cover. People will be free to move from one place to another to sell." He went on to say that, "if there is poverty, if there is insecurity, in most cases you don't even have a job, let alone having a decent job. The issue of decent jobs is not about getting employment from the government. It's all about what you take home." 

On his part, the President of the Trade Union Congress, Festus Osifo, stressed that decent work for Nigerian workers remain sacrosanct and it is not negotiable. "While calling for greater solidarity and cooperation towards the eradication of poverty and insecurity in our workplaces, in particular, and Nigeria in general, decent work is a must for Nigerian workers and is not negotiable."