By John Okoh
Organised labour comprising the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, the Trade Union Congress, TUC have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association, NECA the umbrella organization of employers in the Organised Private Sector of Nigeria,i n the bid to save jobs threatened by the Covid-19 pandemic in the country.
This move followed the alarmed raised in the Covid-19 economic sustainability plan submitted by Vice-Presdent Yemi Osinbajo to President Buhari that about 34 million Nigerian jobs would be affected by the by Covid-19 pandemic unless drastic measures were taken immediately.
Present at the Labour and private sector meeting where the agreement was signed were the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, Quadri Olaleye for the TUC and Mrs. Adenike Oluwafunmilola Adebayo-Ajala, Deputy Director, Abuja Liaison Office of the NECA .
The signatories agreed that millions of Nigerian jobs would be saved and sustained if government provided the needed palliatives for the transportation, manufacturing, aviation and agricultural sectors in the country.
Speaking on the MoU signed between labour and NECA, Director General of the organisation, Dr Timothy Olawale stated that: “The COVID-19 pandemic has done significant damage to businesses and changed the dynamics of the world of work. As employers and workers are both directly affected by the pandemic, it became necessary to work together in addressing the critical labour and socio-economic issues arising from the pandemic, especially from the perspective of the work-place.”
He also commended the parties to the MoU and stated that the signing of the MoU would be done by the NECA, the NLC and the TUC with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) as witness.
