Date: 2019-02-05

The National Executive Council (NEC) member of NLC and Labour Party Gubernatorial Candidate for Kwara State, Comrade Issa Aremu has congratulated the members and leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on the historic occasion of 12th National Delegates Conference in Abuja.

NLC's 12th National Quadrennial Delegates Conference started yesterday Monday 4th February, 2019 in Abuja with the pre-Conference Central Working Committee (CWC) and National Executive Council (NEC) meetings. The opening Ceremony of the Congress takes place today Tuesday, 5th February to Thursday 7 February 2019 at the International Conference Centre (ICC) Abuja. The theme of the Congress is: Towards a Decade of Activism for the Promotion of Labour Unity, National Re-birth and Development.

Comrade Issa Aremu said with as many as 12 delegates' conferences in the past 40 years, which had produced as many as 12 labour's democratically elected Administrative Councils, "it was self-evident that Nigeria labour Congress(NLC) has come of age in democratic processes and experiences." According to him given the record of achievements of NLC "Nigeria Republic has a lot to learn from the labour movement in holding elections and serving the people in poverty eradication".

Comrade Aremu who is also the Vice President of IndustriALL Global Union based in Geneva, observed that the 12th Delegates' conference takes place after the 40th anniversary of the NLC and affiliate industrial unions last year adding that it was also remarkable because NLC had recorded great achievements such as the new minimum wage of N30,000. The labour leader also hailed the emergence of Comrade Ayuba Wabba as the first African unionist to lead adding the "Union truly makes Nigerian workers Strong".

"This historic conference gives all delegates the opportunity to face up to the challenges of the Congress's growth and unity. The Conference must usher in a united labour movement in actions in defense of workers' rights, revival of industries and deepening of democratic process in Nigeria. In particular, there should be robust resolutions among which should be the reinvention of the Labour Party to serve as platform for the working class to struggle for political power within the democratic dispensation", he said.