ABAKALIKI — The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, in Ebonyi has urged “political parties and candidates for the 2027 general elections to prioritise workers’ welfare in their manifestos.”
The State Chairman of the Congress, Chidi Igboji, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria Abakaliki on Tuesday. Mr Igboji said “the organised labour would no longer support leaders who neglected workers’ welfare, stressing that employees deserved governments committed to improving their living and working conditions.”
According to him, “workers will assess candidates based on their commitment to policies that ensure the prompt payment of salaries, career progression, pension administration and other welfare programmes.” “We will support leaders who place workers’ welfare at the centre of their policies and ensure the prompt payment of salaries and other entitlements. The era of supporting leaders who pay little attention to the wellbeing of workers is over. Those seeking our votes must demonstrate a genuine commitment to the welfare of the workforce or lose our votes,” he said.
The labour leader commended “the Ebonyi Governor, Francis Nwifuru, for implementing policies that he said had improved the welfare of workers and pensioners in the state.” He cited “the payment of pensions, promotion of workers, the annual N100,000 Christmas gift to workers and other welfare initiatives as evidence of the governor’s commitment to the workforce.” “We commend Nwifuru for the payment of pensions, promotion of workers and the support his administration has continued to provide for our well-being since he assumed office. Such policies encourage productivity and strengthen workers’ confidence in government,” Mr Igboji said.
He urged “political office seekers ahead of the 2027 general elections to place greater emphasis on workers’ welfare, noting that the workforce remained a critical stakeholder in Nigeria’s democratic process.”