In a determined move to encourage the new government of President Muhammadu Buhari to fight corruption as promised during its campaign, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) will soon embark on series of activities, including mass protests across the country.
Addressing the workers on Monday at the opening ceremony of the 13th NLC Rain SchooL, 2015 held at the Workers’ Solidarity Centre, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, President of NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, told the worker to get ready and prepared when the congress calls on them for the struggle.
Wabba told the gathering that the National Executive Council (NEC) of the NLC would meet on Thursday in Abuja on this issue and how to drive the process of serious engagement with the government and political leadership.
The NLC president declared that the stolen money must be recovered while all looters must be brought to justice. He added that as workers, under the organised labour, they must lead in the struggle for other Nigerians to follow.
“Let us kill corruption before it kills all of us because that is a fundamental issue in Nigeria and we must stand out to address this issue. So, very soon, we will come calling, and when we come calling, wear your canvass, wear your jeans and be ready to face the challenge squarely,” Comrade Wabba said.
He called on the workers to serve as whistle blowers and give information on corruption and reveal whatever they know about corrupt officials and people in government and services, adding that the organised labour, and most especially the NLC, will protect them.
Comrade Wabba said: “The challenges in our system need us to continuously engage the system and remind our leaders of their responsibilities to provide credible leadership and therefore, the National Executive Council (NEC) will be meeting two days from now to drive the process of serious engagement. When I say serious engagement, it is serious engagement.
“On the issue of corruption, which has been monumental in our system, we must, as workers, stand out. First, to provide credible information and you are going to be defended because all whistle blowers will be defended by the organised labour and NLC in particular. Two, all those looters must also be brought to justice. Three, funds stoled must be recovered and channel into development.
“That will serve as deterrent and people would be able to conform themselves to the rudiment of transparency, good governance and the rule of law. We are going to start now and we are going to be in the front leading and let other Nigerians follow.”
He added: “The Congress National Executive Council (NEC) will hold in a few days’ time in Abuja. The congress leadership will ask NEC to declare a day of national protest action to highlight our anger at the massive corruption and bad governance of the recent past and make our case that all our stolen wealth must be recovered, and those involved, face appropriate punishment for their crime.
“As organised Labour, we are waiting to engage the president as he unfolds his programme. We await his promise to throw open the identities of public officers who participated in the massive looting of our commonwealth, which the president had put at a conservative $150 billion over the last decade, alone. We await the arrest and persecution of the former minister who was recently alleged to have stolen $6 billion from our common wealth.”
Comrade Wabba said the last five had witness so much bad governance and corruption in the country at all levels of governance that the defeat suffered by the ruling PDP is a vote for change against the continuation of the decay in the body politics.(Tribune)
