NLC president Ayuba Wabba: Police opens fire on protesting workers

Cuba: We stand with our Cuban Comrades!

On this May Day, we extend our solidarity greetings to the people of Cuba. We continue to salute the resilience and perseverance of the Cuban people. Even in the face of decades of economic blockade, military threats and isolationism, Cuba was able to stand the test of time and the Cuban human spirit triumphed over its mighty neighbour, the United States of America, which, for over five decades tried to bully the Cuban people to submission.

We must never forget the sacrifices that Cuba made in the fight against colonialism, global imperialism and the evils of apartheid in countries like Algeria, Angola, Ethiopia, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique and South Africa. And a couple years ago, Cuba again demonstrated divine solidarity by sending thousands of doctors including other medical personnel to combat the Ebola virus in the affected countries of Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. These achievements were realized under the revolutionary leadership of Fidel Castro. The legendry Fidel Castro left the world stage at the ripe age of 90 a few months back. This is the 1st May Day being celebrated since his death. Our Castro embodied the greatness and the gallantry of the Cuban people.

We call on the Nigerian government, African nations and the international community to continue to support Cuba and intensify pressure on the United States to fully lift the economic embargo on the Cuban people. They must ensure that the momentum of achievements of the Obama administration in opening up diplomatic ties and encouraging minimal exchanges and transactions with Cuba is not truncated by the Trump administration, but propelled to greater heights for complete removal of the unjust economic sanctions.

Cameroon

On this May Day, we must remember the struggle of workers in neighbouring countries. Lawyers and teachers as well as other organisations in civil society have been on strike and street protests for over 6 months protesting against horrendous human rights violations perpetrated by the government on the English speaking people of North West and South West regions of the country. For this, government has arrested a number of persons including lawyers, teachers, members of Parliament, students and other activists, who have been languishing in jail under the most horrible and inhuman conditions. The crisis has also witnessed the cutting off of internet services as well as several politically-motivated killings, assassinations, maiming and torture of trade unionists and other activists considered opponents to the government’s systematic discrimination and dehumanization policies against the English speaking regions of the country. To escape this brutality of the state, hundreds of activists have been compelled to flee the country and go into exile in several countries including Nigeria.

We join trade unions and other civil society organisations, to call on the Cameroun government to stop this wanton arrests and detentions, demilitarize the English speaking regions of North West and South West and restore their internet access, and accede to demands to hold a Constitutional referendum that will determine the form of government best suited to the two systems of Anglophone and Francophone inherited in the country based on historical circumstances.

We further urge the Nigerian government to work with other neighbouring countries as well as African Union to bring an end to the crisis and bring about peaceful resolution of this avoidable crisis.

Going back to the Theme of this Year’s May Day

Before concluding the speech, we need to go back to the theme of the celebration and reflect on what it entails for us as Leaders and cadres of the Labour Movement. As we all already know, Labour relations in times of economic crisis are often turbulent. We have had continuing crisis of non-payment of wages, allowances and pensions almost across board. Even with two bailouts by the Federal Government and Paris Club loan refunds to states, as at this May Day, about 12 state governments still owe their civil servants several months of unpaid wages, pensions and gratuity.

We have no doubt that the debtor states have deliberately sought not to prioritize payment of workers’ salaries and entitlements. Reports have indicated recently that part of the problem of state is that of obtaining loans that tied the states to debt bondage. Cutting down on cost of governance and keeping security vote at not more than 5% of the state’s revenue, will go a long way in making resources available to address the current situations in most states.

Conclusion

For the working class, pensioners and their families across the world, no day can be greater than today. For us in Nigeria, the observance of May 1 as a national holiday did not come easy. Barely six months in office in 1980, the progressive governors of old Kano and Kaduna States, the late Mallam Abubakr Rimi and Mallam Barabe Musa declared May 1 as a public holiday. This patriotic initiative propelled the Federal Government under Alhaji Shehu Shagari to declare May 1, 1981 a national public holiday. We must therefore, continue to pay tributes to these visionary leaders as we celebrate this year’s workers day.

This address cannot be complete without saluting the courage, resilience and patriotism of Nigerian workers who have borne the burden of the profligacy and sins of the unrepentant ruling elites. But enough is enough, as there is a saying that for every good story, there is an end.

Distinguished guests, Comrades, permit me to conclude this address by paying tribute to our founding fathers who bequeathed to us this marvelous vehicle of struggle for the liberation of the oppressed workers of the world and of the Nigerian nation. We pay tribute to all the leaders of our movement from Pa Imoudu, our Labour Leader No 1, to all those who have led our movement at the National NLC level, and at affiliate levels, and at State Council levels, etc. On this May Day, we commit and dedicate ourselves to the service and cause of working class movement.

Dare to struggle!

Dare to win!!

Victory is ours!!

Aluta Continua!!!

Thank you very much

Being the address of the President of the Nigeria labour Congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, mni, on the occasion of the commemoration of 2017 May Day at the Eagle Square, Abuja