By Chimezie Godfrey
Labour and Pro-Labour Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) have launched campaign for Transformative Governance to end bad governance in Nigeria.
The Labour and Pro-Labour Civil Society Organizations include the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation Civil Service and Recreational Service Employees (AUPCTRE), Federation of Informal Workers of Nigeria (FIWON) and Pro-Labour Civil Society Organizations.
Comrade Jaye Gaskia, of Praxis Center, a Co-Convener of the campaign noted that the Nigerian government at all levels (National and Sub-National) has failed to meet the socio-economic and welfare needs of the Nigerian people as a result of the lack of will power and commitment.
Gaskia added that as the economic, social and security outlook gets worse, the state has become more and more repressive and intolerant of views that challenge and criticize the actions or inactions of government.
He stressed that it is unacceptable that a country with the enormous and vast resources (Human and Material) would be ranked among the poorest in the world.
According to him, the Nigerian people are among the least secured people, economically and physically in the world, adding that the facts and figures paint a very grim picture, even official government statistics don’t paint a good picture.
Gaskia therefore stressed that the campaign has been established to reverse the negative trend and downward spiral.
He said,”The campaign for transformative governance is a joint labour and pro-labour civil society, advocacy and campaign program and platform to influence radical changes in government policies, processes and institutions at all levels towards achieving transformative governance – that is governance that delivers on public services, and provision of the basic needs of citizens and residents.
“The three thematic areas for the campaign are as follows; ensuring accessable and effective public service delivery, enabling political education of citizens for transformative governance, and promoting and enhancing human security as a panacea to the endemic Insecurity in the country and ravaging poverty and devastating conditions of the people.”
Gaskia also stressed the importance of a robust and expansive civic space, where the rights to freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, and freedom of association is guaranteed.
According to him, this position is premised on the direct correlation between the civic space and the ability to hold government accountable.
“From the independence struggles till date the Labour Movement comprising of Labour and Pro-Labour Civil Society Organizations has been pivotal to the struggles for human development and freedoms.
“In view of this position, the campaign would work towards strengthening the relationship with all stakeholders in the Labour Movement,” he stressed.
