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Workers in the chemical sector of the economy has called for the immediate reopening of land borders by the Federal Government, failing which they say it might lead to loss of jobs for over 200 workers.
The workers, under the umbrella of the National Union of Chemical Footwear Rubber Leather and Non-Metallic Products Employees (NUCFRLANMPE) warned that the recent border closure by the federal government was seriously threatening the jobs of their members, as many companies were threatening to downsize.
Speaking at the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting at the union’s secretariat in Sango Otta, Ogun State, the president of the union, Goke Olatunji, said some of the member companies were already lamenting high inventory due to poor sales as they are unable to export their products to neighbouring countries.
He gave the example of Unilever, Vitafoam and some other companies who have called the attention to the problem that may lead to downsizing of their workforce.
He noted that, instead of shutting the borders, the Federal Government should put in place effective monitoring of the borders, and effective control measures for curbing illicit importation and exportation of outlawed commodities.
He said: “The economic situation of our dear country is not improving, instead, it is nose-diving . Recently, with a view to controlling illegal importation of rice and other items, Federal Government closed the land borders totally without consideration for other locally produced products meant to be exported to neighbouring countries. The strategy is likened to throwing away the baby with the birth water.
“Nigeria’s economy cannot be better because of the land border closure. By closing land borders, some other sectors of the economy are suffering and, if the options are weighed, it is better for us to open the border while putting in place efficient and effective monitoring and controlling measures for curbing illicit importation and exportation of outlawed commodities.
“Some of the companies under us are lamenting seriously of poor sales because their products are for exportation in which the land-border closure strategy has constituted a great challenge. These are signals that if things do not get in shape on time, we may have to contend with more redundancy than ever before, thereby further causing membership decline to our union.”
Olatunji said for the Nigerian economy to become better, there is need to go back to the basics. He said mining, agriculture and manufacturing sectors need serious attention.
He said, “It is high time we adopted value-adding strategy, instead of exporting our commodities and resources in their raw forms.
“The monolithic nature of our economy for years has paved way for our backwardness, petroleum is not enough. We urgently need diversification of the economy for a better growth and development.”
The labour leader lamented that the infrastructure amenities are insufficient to cater for the upsurge in the population adding that no good roads for easy movement of people and goods, no pipe-borne water, power supply ineffective and above all medical facilities are either inadequate or not meeting up to the world best standard.
He stated that it is pathetic that unemployment is on the increase day by day, noting that yearly, about 500,000 graduates are being drifted to the employment market by higher institutions of learning without commensurate employment opportunity thereby leading to high rate of crime and all sorts of civil unrest.
He stated further, “Insecurity in the land has taken another dimension. Ever before now, one could determine unsafe regions in the country but presently, everywhere is unsafe. Boko Haram, herdsmen invasion, bandits, kidnappers and ritual killers are on their prowl, thereby making investment in Nigeria to be difficult because only mad person will invest in a crisis laden area.
“Government of the day needs to take some emergency measure in addressing socio economic and political misnomers in the country. We do not need to play politics or down play welfare issues as the experience shows presently.”
