Labour Demands Urgent Reforms To Ease Workers’ Burden

The Nigeria Labour Congress has called on the federal government to implement urgent reforms to reduce the economic hardship being faced by Nigerian workers, saying the worsening living conditions threaten the dignity and survival of the working class.

In an Easter message signed by its president , Comrade Joe Ajaero, the labour movement said the season should serve as a moment of reflection for leaders to embrace selfless service and people-oriented governance.

The NLC linked the symbolism of Easter to the need for sacrifice in leadership, urging authorities to prioritise policies that address poverty, insecurity and infrastructure deficits.

The congress expressed concern over the rising cost of transportation, persistent electricity shortages and insecurity, describing them as major constraints on workers’ livelihoods. It noted that these challenges continued to erode wages, limit productivity and deepen economic hardship across the country.

According to the statement, the labour centre is demanding decisive government action to restore efficient public transportation systems, resolve the power crisis and improve security nationwide. It also warned against policies perceived to favour a small elite at the expense of the majority, stressing that governance must be rooted in fairness and inclusivity.

The union further urged the government to respect workers’ rights and avoid suppressing dissent, insisting that any form of austerity that disproportionately affects ordinary citizens undermines democratic principles. It maintained that meaningful reforms must focus on improving welfare and creating an enabling environment for economic growth.

Reaffirming its commitment to advocacy, the NLC said Nigerian workers would continue to organise and demand accountability from those in positions of authority.

It said, “As we celebrate Easter this year, the Nigeria Labour Congress salutes the resilience, the unyielding spirit and the daily struggle for dignity, justice and a better life of all Nigerian workers and masses.

“The sacrifices demanded of Nigerian workers today are ones we never consented to; the sacrifice of our wages on the altar of profiteering, the sacrifice of our safety on the altar of insecurity, and the sacrifice of our very lives on the altar of missed opportunities to govern effectively.”

“We demand that our government use its power to break the choke hold that poverty, exploitation, insecurity and infrastructure collapse have on our people.

“We demand a more humane and responsive governance anchored on the people… The use of state power to suppress workers’ rights, to silence dissent, or to impose austerity that benefits a tiny elite while crushing the majority is a betrayal of the very essence of leadership.”