Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has urged the new President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, to reactivate NLC’s alliances with vibrant civil society organisations (CSOs) in the advocacy for the well-being of citizens.

Development Diaries reports that the NLC, on Wednesday, swore in new executive members, with Ajaero as the new president to lead the workers for the next four years.

The former General Secretary of the National Union of Electricity Workers was voted on consensus at the 13th NLC’s National Delegates Conference in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

Ajaero took over the NLC leadership from Ayuba Wabba, who served between 2015 and 2023.

‘CHRICED is confident that the new NLC helmsman will bring his wealth of experience, energetic disposition and track record of labour activism to bear in the struggle for a just, fair and equitable Nigeria’, a statement issued by the organisation’s Executive Director Comrade, Ibrahim Zikirullahi, read.

In his acceptance speech, the new NLC president said that the executive members were committed to pursuing the interest and desires of workers and the entire Nigerians.

He promised that his leadership would speak for the millions of Nigerians and also seek a platform to lift them out of poverty.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed in late 2022 that 63 percent of persons living in Nigeria (133 million people) were multidimensionally poor, with millions out of job or underemployed.

‘Emerging president of the NLC at a time when Nigeria is experiencing multifaceted economic and political challenges, the election of Comrade Ajaero is a heartwarming development for the polity’, the statement added.

‘CHRICED is also hopeful that Comrade Ajaero’s principled disposition in speaking truth to power would make him a valuable voice of reason and wisdom in the quest for effective solutions to the nation’s challenges.

‘Similarly, Comrade Ajaero has been given the mandate to lead the Labour Movement at a time the Nigerian worker is under the relentless assaults of bad and poorly implemented policies, which have accentuated the poverty and mass misery in the land’.

In the face of Nigeria’s economic struggles, CHRICED is confident that the ‘reassuring presence of Comrade Ajaero will serve to remind the people that they are not alone in the struggle for economic justice, political emancipation, equity and fairness’.

Other members of the new NLC executive team include Adewale Adeyanju as Deputy National President; Audu Amber as second Deputy National President, and Kabiru Sani as National Deputy President.

Ambali Olatunji was elected the National Treasurer; Benjamin Anthony, Vice President; Steve Okoro, Vice President; Michael Nnachi, Vice President; Olawole Sunday, Vice President, and Marwan Adamu, Financial Secretary.

Photo source: NLC