Insist on Living Wages not Minimum Wages
The Ebonyi State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Francis Ogbonnaya Nwifuru has shunned the National Labour Congress meeting organised for the candidates ahead of the March 11 governorship election.
The meeting was organised by the NLC to present workers charter of demands, pray for the forthcoming general elections and to know the plans and commitment of the candidates towards ensuring better welfare for workers in the State .
The event held at St.Theresa Cathedral on Wednesday, February 22, 2023 was graced by candidates from opposition parties, they include; Engr Chukwuma Nwandugo of the Action Alliance (AA) and Professor Bernard Ifeanyi Odoh of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
Also in attendance, Dr Edward Nkwegu, Labour Party (LP), Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Sunday Opoke, Young Progressives Party (YPP), and Prophet Adol Awam of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
Reacting to the development, the Chairman Planning Committee, Dr Onyekachi Eni expressed dismay that the APC gubernatorial candidate,Rt.Hon.Ogbonnaya Nwifuru failed to attend the meeting despited being informed on time.
Stating ‘Those who are here, speak volume of how the candidate value workers .The essence of this programme is for the good of the workers, for the good of our children in the school, because what we have come here today is to ask for good governance which will heal the wounds of the workers.
“Ebonyi workers are crying because we don’t have Ebonyi state again, we called all the candidates , we even sent delegates to go and inform them, we believe he is on his way. We sent the same to PDP, we believe he is also on his way.
However, the Chairman of the Union, Comrade Nwafor Ikechukwu said that it becomes necessary for workers to speak with the candidates and have them sign the charter of demands before giving their votes in order not to regret their actions after the election.
“Some years back we made a mistake, workers stick their necks without giving Candidates the chance to speak to us, we heard from one person, we followed him, and unfortunately, workers today are not better than before then.
“Ebonyi worker’s charter of demands did not just start here, it started from the federal level of our union to all the presidential candidates, and we have been asked to repeat the same to all the States, especially in Ebonyi where workers are suffering “. Ikechukwu said.
He the charter of demands focuses on ensuring the welfare of Workers, improvement of the educational sector, and establishing Local Government Autonomy.
Other demands on the list include agreeing to the autonomy of the state House of Assembly and the Judiciary, improvement of the Business Climate and the healthcare system as well as improvement of security, and creating an atmosphere for regular Interface with the organized Laboųr.
The charter of demands also captured the need for the running of an Inclusive government, ” to promote the cause of unity among Ebonyi people by ensuring that appointments and projects are evenly spread across the state to enhance inclusion and public peace”. it added.
The Gubernatorial Candidates present at the event all signed the charter of demand, they expressed their commitment towards the welfare of workers if elected.
