Organised Labour needs to do more to give fair representation to workers across all sectors, the International Trade Confederation (ITUC) has said.

The ITUC, Africa Region, during a visit to the Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) in Abuja, said the NLC had the capacity to double the number of organised workers.

Its Co-ordinator, Human and Trade Union Rights, Joel Odigie, urged MHWUN to support the Ayuba Wabba-led  executive to increase the size of organised workers in Nigeria.

He said: “Part of the assistance that should be given to Ayuba is for the union to be relentless organising. Organising at the NLC should be given more emphasis, now the number is six million, but I believe that we can have 18 million. This can be done within a year.”

He maintained that more workers were, indeed, waiting to be organised, advising the labour movement to move beyond the union to the private and the informal sectors.

Also, the Somali Trade Federation has commended the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for its role in the formation and existence of the labour centre in the war-torn country.

On the support, the Federation of  Somali Trade Unions (FESTU) has got from Nigeria, its General Secretary,  Omar Faruk Osman, said his visit to Nigeria was to express appreciation to the NLC and the union which produced the NLC president.

“Nigeria has been speaking for Somalia in the United Nation. Kenya was expected to give us support when the federation was formed, but we didn’t get it, but NLC came to our aid,” he said.

MHWUN National President  Biobelemoye Joy Josiah, however, assured ITUC that the workers and the union had always given the NLC President the  necessary support to ensure that he succeeds in his mandate at home and internationally.

“Ayuba is part and parcel of this union, this is his base. The union has not been as successful as we are now, Ayuba Wabba is the one that made our unions what it is today. His feet fits the shoe wherever he goes to represent labour,”he said.

He noted that the union over the years respected and honoured its past leaders whom the present leadership sees as elders as they are still very relevant in giving guidance to the union.

The MHWUN president said the union was happy with Wabba’s global record, adding that the union would continue to support the NLC President in his efforts on Somalia and others in the continent.

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