May Day: Lagos Speaker felicitates with workers, assures of govt’s commitment to their welfare

…As community leader tasks FG, states on workers welfare

Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa has assured Nigerian workers of the commitment of government at all levels to the improvement of their standard of living and enhancement of their welfare.

Obasa, who is also Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, gave this assurance in his May Day message released on Wednesday and signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Musbau Rasak.

According to him, “The All Progressives Congress (APC) at all levels of governance is committed to improving workers welfare and I want to assure our workers that government will not deviate from it’s responsibility of putting in place measures and programmes that will enhance the welfare of our workers and improve their standard of living.

“The President recently demonstrated this with the signing of the New Minimim Wage Bill into law and positive steps being taken by government to resolve all industrial disputes.

I want to assure our workers that this government will continue to partner with them to move the country forward and ensure its growth and development,” he said.

While acknowledging the support of workers for the government at all levels of governance, Rt. Hon. Obasa called on workers not to rest on their oars, assuring that,

“We will continue to seek for your support and cooperation at all times because the task of making Nigeria great is a collective responsibility. Nigerian workers have been wonderful, but we will seek for more support from you,” the Lagos Assembly Speaker said.

“On behalf of my colleagues at the Lagos State House of Assembly, I wish you all a happy May Day celebration,” he said.

Also speaking on the occasion of the Worker’s Day, the Community Head of Apapa road and Otumara 11, High Chief Kehinde Kalejaiye called on government at all levels to prioritise workers welfare as he said workers are the wheel of progress of any society.

While commending President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration for his approval of the N30,000 new minimum wage, High Chief Kalejaiye said governors of the 36 states of the federation must strictly adhere to the approved minimum wage.

He said “Nigeria is a blessed country, therefore there is no reason for workers in the country to suffer.

In the past, we have seen workers languishing in penury due to the insensitive and corruption of past leaders who rather than improve on the standard of living of workers they steal our collective wealth.

“But since 2015, things are changing. Workers in Nigeria are beginning to have a new lease of life starting from the newly approved minimum wage of N30, 000.

This is a step to a better life for Nigerian workers. I therefore want to urge all our governors not to give excuses.

They should pay the minimum wage without cutting it. An average Nigerian worker is entitled to a good life, decent accommodation and qualitative healthcare too.

“Every state in Nigeria has the capacity to pay, they only need to work on improving their Internally General Revenue drive and cut down on wasteful spending and avoid corruption. They should value the workers.

They should appreciate Nigerian workers. They should let us be prideful of being a Nigerian worker. In the midst of abundance, Nigeria workers should not be left to suffer.

Let there be living wage for workers in Nigeria with this national prosperity is assured.”

Further commenting on the alarming rate of youth unemployment in the country, High Chief Kalejaiye who is also an employer of labour said that there is an urgent need for the Federal Government to create decent jobs for the teeming youth population to check insecurity, youth restiveness and crimes.

He added that “Through the various social investment programmes of the All Progressives Congress led Federal Government, many youths have been engaged, but the number of graduates that our universities turn out each year keep increasing and they needed to be absorbed too.

“So as we celebrate Nigerian workers this year, I am appealing to the Federal Government to create more decent jobs that will add value, dignity and substance to the lives of workers.

Also, they should maintain the price of commodities especially the price of petrol because they cannot be given with one hand and be collecting with another.”

While calling on Nigerians to be patient with President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, High Chief Kalejaiye assured Nigerians of better days with economic prosperity, qualitative healthcare, jobs for the youths and abundance in the second coming of President Buhari and other All Progressives Congress governors.