Beyond the euphoria of May Day, the labour movement faces the arduous task of mobilising the populace to seize control of the civil space to resist oppressive policies and promote alternative solutions that benefit the working class, Gloria NWAFOR writes.

The need for Nigerian workers to fight for the improvement in the welfare of the people and promote participatory democracy resonated across the country on May Day.

While the workers called on the government to address the lingering economic hardships facing the country, they said there is a need to bridge the gap between the governed and the government, even as they vowed to resist policies that worsen the cost of living and retard the value of wages.

Demanding a better Nigeria, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and its Trade Union Congress (TUC) maintained that the correlation between workers’ welfare and national productivity was undeniable.

Speaking, the President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, and Festus Osifo of TUC noted that workers have always been at the centre of societal transformation amid excruciating hardship.

The labour leaders insisted that workers must rebuild the nation’s democracy.

“We fought for independence, we fought against military dictatorship, we fought for democracy, and now, we must fight to rescue that democracy from the grip of deliberate abuse, repression, increasing alienation and exploitation. We must hold our leaders for the suffering they inflict on the people,” they said.

The labour leaders said the theme of this year’s May Day, ‘Reclaiming the Civic Space amid Economic Hardship’, captures the urgent need for Nigerian workers and all citizens to play an active role in defending democracy, pushback against the forces of repression, and rebuild the nation on the foundations of justice and equity.

The unionists stressed that reclaiming civic space demands that government policies reflect the interests of the people, not the greed of a privileged few.

NLC and TUC alleged that policies are made without workers’ input, protests are met with brutal forces, and the rights to free speech and association are under constant assault.

The civic space, they maintained, is “the arena where we voice our concerns, challenge injustice, and demand accountability, but is being systematically compressed. We are threatened because we are raising our voices against the various shades of hardship, insecurity, and indignities that we have had and continue to suffer.

“Governance must be tied to the needs of the people and must be held completely accountable to the desires of the sovereign – the masses.”

As workers commemorated the day, they lamented that Nigerian workers are unhappy and hungry, even as they queried the famed benefits of the increase in fuel prices, the much talked about eldorado if electricity tariffs are hiked, and the fiscal and monetary benefits of devaluing the Naira, as well as the minimum wage that has lost more than half of its value.

While they urged workers not to be discouraged, the labour leaders said those who have the nation’s interest at heart should join hands to protect the pillars of the nation’s democratic culture.

They pointed out that the various freedoms at the core of democratic practice are the elements that make democracy more sustainable, thus far more than other historical governance constructs.

Labour said it was important that whether they are in public office today or not, their collective efforts must be geared towards maintaining the very fine tenets and traditions of democracy.

The two labour centres stated that one of the platforms that allow democratic expressions, and national cohesion is the civic space, as its usefulness and benefits to truly democratic governance are immense if explored.

“That is why we insist that as a nation and as a people, we must all join hands together to stop its erosion. It remains the public square that allows the government a glimpse into the feelings of the people, enabling it to gauge the civic pulse and direct its policies and programmes accordingly.

“Without a vibrant civic space, this feedback is shut down. It is only by reclaiming the civic space that we can adequately interrogate the forces that drive economic hardship in our nation. No matter the turbulence, we must remain steadfast as the bastion of the conscience of the people of this nation to ensure the sanctity of the civic space.

“Comrades, the time to act is now. Those who occupy positions of leadership must recognise that true leadership is about service, humility, and inclusivity. It is about building bridges, not walls. The future of our nation depends on their willingness to govern with a sense of justice and fairness. The executive, the legislature, and the judiciary must maintain their independence and act separately for the good of our nation,” they said.

On the state of the nation, the unionists stressed that the Nigerian economy is facing severe structural challenges, with deteriorating macroeconomic fundamentals negatively impacting workers, the real sector, and citizens’ welfare.

They argued that the government’s policies have failed to address rising inflation, unemployment, exchange rate instability, and unfavourable GDP, leading to worsening living conditions for the masses.

The numbers, according to them, are not adding up and do not reflect the reality on the ground.

They maintained that the truest performance measurement of any economy is the nature of citizens’ welfare and the economy’s capacity to continue providing such a level of welfare now and in the future.

“Whatever statistics or numbers that do not demonstrate that the people are well off and can meet their basic needs now and in the future is sheer “Juju” and a waste of time. On these two basic tests, the nation’s economy fails in significant ways in the last few years,” they said.

Similarly, in Lagos, the state’s Council Chairperson of NLC, Funmi Sessi and TUC counterpart, Gbenga Ekundayo, while they commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for championing workers’ welfare, urged him to address the challenges of facing many sectors in the state.

Noting that education remains the bedrock of national development, they urged the government to improve the quality of education and broaden access.

Ekundayo urged the government to look at the plight of teachers and also inculcate desired values in the teaching profession.

On health sector reforms, the TUC state council chairperson said the citizens want to see a deeper reach of effective health insurance services across the state.

He said more than ever, they need the full implementation of the Consultant Pharmacist Cadre and the creation of a Department of Medical Laboratory Services.

According to him, lingering resistance to these initiatives must be addressed head-on.

“We also demand the immediate payment of the new minimum wage to the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) staff. The viral video of a LAWMA worker exposed the painful truth about their conditions. As these workers sweep our streets clean, let their dignity not be swept under the carpet,” he said.