President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba, has disclosed that Social Protection is essential for human security and social justice, noting that it is the foundation for peaceful societies committed to shared wealth and prosperity.
This was made known to newsmen by the NLC president, during a Roundtable on ‘Social Protection Cover’, with the theme: Expanding Social Protection Cover and Ensuring Effective Implementation in Nigeria, which was held at the International Conference Center, on Tuesday, in Abuja.
According to Wabba, The Roundtable was a fallout of the recent 2nd National Peace and Security Summit organised by the NLC. From the paper presentations made at the summit and the ensuing expert and plenary discussions, it was firmly established that the crisis of physical insecurity in Nigeria has very strong ties with human insecurity especially as marked by the dearth of social protection cover for the poor and vulnerable in our society”.
He also noted that the United Nations over a decade ago endorsed the Social Protection floor for Fair Globalisation. Equally, the International Labour Organisation, (ILO) Convention 102, ILO Recommendation 202 and the SDG Goal 1.3 on social protection systems for all by 2030, give credence to the centrality of social protection to stability and progress.
The NLC president stated that the Covid-19 insurgency has exposed the weakness of the current global economic model and social protection system.
Reacting, the Special Guest of Honour, Speaker, Federal House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, stated that social protection is one of the most important responsibilities of the government.
He noted that it is how we live up to the Constitutional obligations to ensure that suitable and adequate shelter, suitable and adequate food, a reasonable national minimum living wage, old age care and pensions, and the unemployment, sick persons and welfare of the disabled are provided for.
