The Nigerian Workforce Strategy and Enlightenment Centre (NIWOSEC), an NGO, has urged government at all levels to give better palliative for Nigerian workers while the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic last in the country.
The organisation made the appeal in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Dr David Ehindero, and made available to newsmen on Friday in Ilorin.
Ehindero however commended the Federal and State Governments for their efforts at containing the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic.
“I sincerely commend the effort of the government both state and federal in containing the pandemic. So much effort is on-going to see that the pandemic is contained and the spread of the pandemic curbed.
“This pandemic, as we speak today, has disrupted social and economic activities of the workforce, both formal and informal sectors in the nation.
“I also commend the palliatives by the government to ameliorate the effect of the lockdown on people and reaching out to the poorest of the poor in our communities”
The executive director questioned the effectiveness of the palliatives, adding that data was not used to ensure the distribution.
“But can we say this palliative is effective? Are the so-called poorest of the poor reached? Is there no atom of politics in the distribution of the palliatives? What is the data for distribution and are the contents of the palliatives befitting? Is the distribution monitored accountably to ensure that there is no hoarding.
“I seem to be concerned about much losses incurred by the artisans due to the lockdown, those who rely on daily sales to make a living. I am aware that a good number of them run businesses with loans and cooperative capital to be repaid at a particular time.
“The civil servants who are on the payroll of the government are not exempted, their earnings have suddenly declined in purchasing power due to skyrocket in price of commodity.
“The best and accountable way this palliative could reach the right persons is through the tax paying working class.
“We call on the attention of government that if care is not taken the palliatives will not yield any effect if the right people are not reached.
“We also call on the government to include the Nigerian workers whose income have been distressed in its palliative efforts.
“We ask that the government reach the artisans for financial or material support through their unions and associations.
“Ensure proper accountability and monitoring to ensure unbiased appropriation of national resources in this trying time.
“We, therefore encourage the government that the palliatives initiative is a welcome idea, but what makes it really effective is when the right people are truly reached,” the statement read in part.
