‘Let Workers Be Treated As Human Beings’ – NLC Tells FG

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged the Federal Government to make salaries and wages commensurate with the cost of living, ensure hospitals have adequate equipment, and treat workers as human beings.

Naija News reports that the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, delivered this submission during the 11th Quadrennial National Delegates Conference of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) held in Abuja on Friday.

The conference’s theme is “The Nigerian Health System in the Era of Economic Downturn: Challenges and Way Forward.”

The NLC president emphasized the relevance of the conference’s theme, aligning it with the urgent challenges facing the healthcare sector. He urged immediate action to address these issues to forge a brighter future for both the sector and Nigeria as a whole.

Ajaero emphasized the urgent need to address socioeconomic challenges faced by workers and the general populace in Nigeria, particularly in the healthcare sector, where poor infrastructure and inadequate remuneration hinder effective service delivery.

He highlighted the growing unaffordability of healthcare services for average Nigerians and the concerning trend of healthcare professionals leaving the country for better opportunities and job satisfaction.

The NLC President said, “The dearth of your members in the industry as a result of the brain drain is having serious implications for the industry’s capacity and capability to deliver quality and effective services to Nigerians.

“That is why the NLC will continue making demands on the government for fair wages to workers in all sectors, especially in critical and sensitive ones like yours; workers will always move to where they are treated better.

“We once again demand that the government remove all the impediments it is putting on your path to migration but rather focus on making workers in the sector enjoy better working conditions.

“Let salaries and wages be commensurate with the cost of living; let there be functional equipment in the hospitals; and let workers be treated as human beings.”

Ajaero also praised the union’s dedication to enhancing healthcare professionals’ working conditions, welfare, and rights.