Former Vice-pesident of Nigeria and PDP presidential aspirant in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, has described as unbearable the pains and pang of hunger, hyper inflation, mass unemployment and insecurity challenges that Nigerian workers encounter in their daily lives.
Atiku Abubakar has however assured them that there’s hope that they would be free from this socio-economic slope.
He also urged the Nigerian workers at all levels, and all sectors – federal, state, local governments and private sector – to adopt a new approach in industrial relations, and dispute resolution by pursuing labour-friendly policies and positions that would guarantee improved national productivity, better working conditions for workers, particularly low-income staff members and casual workers who had suffered so much anguish and pains in their daily working lives and living.
In a special message marking May Day 2022, released in Abuja, Atiku enjoined workers and all Nigerians to know that he felt their pains and would do the utmost to better their lots, if given an opportunity to lead the country.
He expressed concerns that wages and salaries had remained static, food scarcity and inflation abounded everywhere, children were out of school due to no fault of theirs, farmers could no longer go to farm for fear of bandits, traders could not commute freely without being abducted, no energy to power industries and companies were shutting down geometrically; all conspired as burden on the citizenry.
He said: “But all hope is not lost. We need not be forlorn; time is ripe to vote out bad governance and Nigerian workers should lead the way with their voter’s cards at the next polls, to ensure the return of better days.”
Atiku has nevetheless praised the resilience and determination of Nigerian workers, despite the myriad of man-made challenges confronting them.
Read him: “Nigerians are hardworking and industrious people, who can compete with the best in the world given a conducive atmosphere and good work environment: good training, welfare package and enabling laws.”
He urged Nigerian workers to keep hope alive, cultivate a new spirit of patriotism that will be geared towards nation building and peace.
He appealed to the federal and state governments to work harder to bring the Academic Staff Union of Universities, and other striking labour unions back to the negotiation table in the interest of the Nigerian youths, and the educational system of the country, which was dying gradually due to these incessant labour unrests.
He declared: “Our country shall fare very well in the coming years if as a nation and people, our leaders and citizens imbibe a new spirit and approach in our attitude to managing the workplace, corporate governance and our nation’s wealth.”
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