COVID-19: NLC opposes use of contributory pension for palliatives

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says it opposes  the use of contributory pension as palliatives for workers as part of effort to cushion the effect of the lockdown over Coronavirus  pandemic. Mr Ayuba Wabba, the President of NLC, said this while fielding questions from newsmen at the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 daily press briefing in Abuja, on Friday. This is sequel to a question posed to the NLC President if the contributory pension could be used as palliatives as the lockdown entered the fourth week.

He said that there was need to protect the money and the owners of the contributory pension, adding that such money should not be used as palliatives. Wabba however lauded the PTF members for the work they were doing to curtail the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that the chairman of PTF, Mr Boss Mustapha, must be commended for the interface between PTF and NLC. He said that the NLC would continue to be reasonable by engaging the government and the PTF, while commending the frontline health workers for the sacrifice they are making to curtail the virus. The NLC said that looking at the number of health workers affected by COVID-19, it was imperative to interface with the taskforce.

He said that the NLC had produced locally made face masks, stating that it would  be distributed free to some Nigerians, adding that the advantage of the locally made face mask was that it could be washed, iron and resided. Some of the locally made face masks were presented to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Chairman PTF, Mr Boss Mustapha, for onward distribution.

Receiving the indigenous masks, Mustapha commended NLC for the support and urged others to emulate the gesture to complement government efforts at containing COVID-19. (NAN)