NLC seeks protection for health workers, displaced persons
The national president of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) , Comrade Ayuba Wabba, has called for the protection of the rights of Internally Displaced Persons, (IDPs), and health workers particularly those working in conflict areas in the country. He made the call on Wednesday at a capacity-building workshop organised by Public Service International, PSI, […]
The national president of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) , Comrade Ayuba Wabba, has called for the protection of the rights of Internally Displaced Persons, (IDPs), and health workers particularly those working in conflict areas in the country.
He made the call on Wednesday at a capacity-building workshop organised by Public Service International, PSI, for trade unions in Abuja.
PSI is a global federation of public service workers in health, social works, and emergency services sectors with headquarters in Sweden.
Wabba said that the rights to life, personal dignity and better working conditions for these categories of persons have often been neglected , adding that they were also denied interventions carried out in troubled parts of the country.
The NLC President said: "Many health workers have been killed and even displaced while providing services in conflict regions of the country. Therefore, there is need to continue to protect and advance their human and trade rights."
He said the country would continue to suffer from absence of internal peace and continued conflicts, if majority of citizens live in want and poverty while a few individuals accumulate more than they can use.
“So, at the heart of peace and conflict resolution is social justice. Since the issue of privatization became a trending topic, conflicts have increased. Even Boko Haram began as a result of denial. So, we are poised to use decent work and decent work agenda to address the issue of conflicts," he said.
Vice-President of PSI, Mr. Peters Adeyemi, said the problem of insecurity in Nigeria is worrisome and that government must be conscious of its responsibilities in that sector.
On his part, Genevieve Genciano, PSI’s Migration Coordinator, said Nigeria tops the list of countries with the highest internally displaced persons in the world thus the need to build the capacity of workersso that their own rights to life and better working conditions will also be secured.