Organised Labour in Nigeria on Monday demanded the review of the retirement age for all public servants from 60 to 65 years and from 35 to 40 years of service.
Organised Labour made the demand during this year’s Workers’ Day Celebration with the theme, “Workers’ Rights and Socio-economic Justice’.
Past and present leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and other affiliate unions converged on the Eagle Square Abuja in commemoration of the 2023 May Day Celebration.
This year’s May Day celebration will be the last to be held under President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.
Organised Labour also demanded that an independent panel be set up to investigate the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu and his team over their conduct in the 2023 general elections.
The body further demanded an investigation into the spending of 12 billion naira by the Ministry of Aviation to buy ten fire trucks.
President of the NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero said equity, fairness and justice underpin the survival of societies and create resilience for nations in the midst of upheavals and turbulence, noting that Nigeria needs the presence of this mass to jump-start the process of development.
He said poor wages, abuse of workplace rights and privileges as well as unpaid salaries strip workers of their rights.
For his part, the President of the TUC, Comrade Festus Osifo decried the state of the economy, which according to him is on autopilot, struggling to survive while those engaged to manage it have kept throwing filth and injecting toxins into it.
He described as unfortunate a situation in which the country is led by men and women who delight in enacting policies that are detrimental to the progress of the nation, including the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) currency redesigning policy. (CHANNELS TV)