Edo TUC, NLC list conditions for backing candidates

THE Edo State chapters of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) said welfare of members remain their priorities and would therefore vote for only those candidates ready to improve the welfare of workers in the state in the forthcoming elections.

   They stated this during a joint meeting with state and local council labour leaders at NLC state secretariat in Benin, the Edo State capital.

   The State Chairman of the NLC/TUC Political Committee, Reverend Olu Aderigbigbe, decried what he called neglect of workers in the formulation of policies at all levels of government, as against their historical‎ role of providing the vanguard for socio-political change in Nigeria.

   “When you are not promoted or not paid your salaries as and when due, when non-career officers are appointed into exalted positions in the civil service, when persons with questionable characters have become executive characters in the government or consultants to government, we cannot say it is well.”

   He frowned at alleged assault of workers under the National Union of Local Government Employees  (NULGE) in Owan East local council, who were said to be protesting the non-payment of salaries early last week, adding that such actions of government was a factor why workers would only vote for candidates that would make workers welfare their priority.

   He also lamented the plight of pensioners who are unable to get their pay. “Also, it is very painful that workers who retired for upward of two to three years have not been enlisted for pension. Right now, labour is in political wilderness.”

   He, however, urged workers in the state to collect their Permanent Voter Cards and vote wisely in order to uphold the unions’ political heritage.