The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged Federal and State Governments to ensure adequate supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to workers on the frontline of the battle to subdue the ravaging Covid-19 pandemic in the country.
Ayuba Wabba, president of the NLC said the provision of the PPE has become imperative as only health workers who are alive can save others’ lives.
Wabba, in an address to mark this year’s International Workers’ Memorial Day, submitted that health workers and others on the frontline against Covid-19 were not on a suicide mission.
The international workers’ memorial day is marked April 28 of every year to remember workers who had paid the supreme sacrifice in the course of their duties as workers or as activists fighting for the rights and interests of the working class.
“We also wish to use this commemoration to ask government and employers in the private sector to throw in sufficient weight to make the load of our frontline workers easier. We demand sufficient personal protection equipment, hand sanitisers, functional wash rooms, suitable rest rooms and other facilities to make the work of our brave warriors on the health frontline less herculean than it already is.
“Our health workers and other frontline workers are not on a suicide mission. They simply want to save lives. The least government and employers can do is to help them keep their lives so that they can go on saving other lives,” Wabba said.
The NLC leadership, however, commanded the Federal Government for the insurance cover and enhanced incentives provided for frontline health workers during this period just as it lauded the Sokoto State government for similar incentives to its workers.
JOSHUA BASSEY
