May Day: NAAT tasks govts on workers' welfare | EduCeleb
EduCeleb
1st May 2021
The National President of National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) has urged the federal government to give priority to welfare of workers as well as the rising security situation in the country.
President of NAAT, Comrade Ibeji Nwokoma in his May Day message to workers said this year’s celebration is very important to Nigerian workers as they reflect on their welfare and safety of workers with the nation also facing the worst security situation in its history.
While congratulating workers, especially NAAT members nationwide on the occasion of this year’s May Day celebration, he also used the occasion to call on the Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi to intervene in the crisis rocking Ekiti State University (EKSU) by addressing the issues of salaries and allowances as well as the statutory deductions of workers, saying they must be paid without further delay.
He called on Government to prioritize the welfare of workers as the greatest asset a Nation could have is her workforce. He charged the Federal Government to fulfill the promise of paying the National Minimum Wage Arrears of his members as well as streamlining the allowances of NAAT members to their salaries.
Nwokoma also called on Government to take full audit of the state of university laboratories in Nigeria and take urgent steps to address the deplorable state and improve the working conditions of his members.
The President also used this opportunity to ask workers to be mindful of the ravaging COVID-19 Pandemic that has damaged the world economy, Nigeria inclusive. He therefore, challenged Government for decent Jobs and people’s welfare as the theme for this year May Day celebration.
Nwokoma decried the rate of insecurity in the country. He condemned incessant kidnapping and killing of students as well as staff in tertiary institutions. The case of Greenfield University is one of the many sorry situation in the country today. He, therefore, called on government to put machineries in motion to ensure the release of those still in captivity. He urged the government to deploy technology and task the security forces to put an end to the ugly situations in the country, saying Nigeria’s sovereignty is seriously under threat.