Organised Labour-Civil Society Situation Room On COVID-19 Inaugurated In Ogun
By ABIODUN JIMOH, ABEOKUTA
The Ogun State chapter of Organised Labour-Civil Society Situation Room on COVID-19 have been inaugurated on Wednesday, May 27th, 2020 in Abeokuta.
The Committee was inaugurated at the instance of national leadership to provide a platform for all labour movements, professional groups and civil society organisation to ensure synergy and well coordinated efforts in combating the pandemic that has become a threat to the wellbeing of humanity.
Disclosing this at a media briefing held at the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) secretariat, Abeokuta, Comrade Emmanuel Abimbola Bankole, the state convener acknowledged that it became necessary to inaugurate the committee as the global pandemic is of immense important to the working populace because they seemed to be the most endangered.
The committee members were drawn across labour union comprising of representatives from health sector, Nigerian Union of Journalists, NURTW, professionals, private sector and many others.
Comrade Bankole, who also is the state Chairman of NLC added that apart from the direct impact on the existence of human beings, their jobs and means of livelihood were also at great risk with attendant negative socio-economic implications in various homes, community and nation, hence the need for effective collaboration by all.
Comrade Bankole listed the objectives of this body which included sensitization of workers and citizens on the reality, prevalence and containment measures against Covid-19; to embark on advocacy and social dialogs with government and private sector employers to promote public health and employment and income protection for workers.
“Others are to support effective control and protective measures against further spread and fatalities of the novel coronavirus disease; to protect jobs, wages and means of livelihood of Nigerians; serve as think-thank to liase and advice government on the strategy going forward, and amongst.
He hereby admitted that to achieve these objectives, they shall embarking on advocacy and awareness campaign to government agencies, health facilities, industries and major markets across the state. “The situation room will be replicated in all the 20 local governments in the state for effective coverage.
“It is expedient also to implore the good people of the state to continue to observe all precautionary measures as advised by the health professionals as prevention is always better than cure.”
In the same vein, Comrade Olayinka Folarin, Chairman, Ogun State Coalition of Civil Society expressed that they would do everything necessary to sustain human lives during this pandemic by collaborating with labour movements to fight it together to a standstill.
He further stated that the pandemic has put critical stakeholders on toes, adding that this would ginger government to fund health centres, and appreciate frontliners. “This has expose the long agitation for privatisation of health, education and others.”
However, the Ogun NUJ Chairman Caretaker Committee, Mrs. Omolola Adeyinka, in her vote of thanks tasked residents in the state to adhere to government precautionary measures in order to curb the spread of coronavirus.
