NUCFRLANMPE decries state of the economy

Members of the National Union of Chemical Footwear Rubber Leather and Non Metallic Products Employees (NUCFRLANMPE) have decried the appalling state of Nigeria’s economy, which they said was impacting negatively on all areas of the national development.

This is even as they have called on Federal Government to come up with palliative measures to cushion the effects of the present economic instability on the manufacturers, Nigerian workers and the general masses.
The workers under the umbrella of the National Union of Chemical Footwear Rubber Leather and Non Metallic Products Employees (NUCFRLANMPE) warned that failure may aggravate civil unrest and crime rate while several people will die of hunger and ill-health.
President of NUCFRLANMPE, Goke Olatunji, speaking at the 30th edition of 
annual nationwide industrial relations seminar of the union held in Ibadan, Oyo State lamented that the present economic situation of the nation is worrisome and this is impacting negatively on the welfare of citizenry. 
Reflecting on the theme of the seminar “Sustaining Industrial Peace and Harmony in an era of socio-economic and political instability”, Olatunji harped that the unprecedented and untold hardship which Nigerians are suffering from, without any immediate hope for better time leaves much to be desired.
According to him, the theme was a well thought of as nobody knows the next thing that will happen in Nigeria.
“The Economy is greatly in comatose; unfortunately the technocrats who can turn the situation around are left out while misfit people occupy critical positions in the affairs of our country. “There is no clearly defined economic policy both fiscal and monetary to salvage the situation because the people at the helms of affair have allowed sentiments and nepotism to becloud their sense of reasoning thereby jettisoning what ought to be done,” he said. 
He noted that it is only in Nigeria that the governor of the apex bank, the Central Bank will be conspicuous in the political activity of the country and there would be no consequence after all.
Expressing the effect on the manufacturers presently groaning seriously because of overhead cost that has constituted a great block to operational efficiency and effectiveness, 
the NUCFRLANMPE President charged government to rise up to the occasion of making manufacturing thrives as the real sector of the economy holds the key for growing the country’s Gross Domestic Products.
He said, “Inflation rate stands at double digits which are in direct relationship with Interest rate. 
“Power supply is far below what is consumed in Nigeria and Manufacturing activities largely depend on power. It is equally worrisome that electricity tariff has gone up, but the power supply has not increased. The worst is that the alternative source of power- gas and fuel- are not easy to come by as their prices have soared higher than bearable. Beyond the reach of both the rich and common man. In present Nigeria, the rich also cry!
Nigeria is not working at all.”
He reflected further on the poor state of infrastructure, medical, education with universities under closure for over six months describing such as height of callousness and untold insensitivity.  
Condemning the policy makers present preoccupation with politics and politicking, with the worsen insecurity, the labour leaders opined that the hope of the working class now is that the economy will get better after the general elections of 2023. 
“The impact of the crumbled economy on our Union is enormous. It has led to a drastic loss of membership. The Union that used to boast of about 30,000 members in some years back cannot boast of 10,000 workers across the country. 
“Without sounding apolitical, I appeal to all our Comrades to get their PVC and vote better candidate who can bring back the good fortune of this country, at least there was a country, says Chinua Achebe. We have our Labour Party, and from our Central Labour Centre, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), we have the marching order that we should mobilize our members. Workers vote must count in 2023,” he said.
Insisting further on palliative, Olatunji said this may be to increase public expenditure for provision of infrastructural amenities, fuel subsidization, and relaxing FOREX policy such that the bottlenecks in accessing it is drastically reduced for manufacturing companies and other genuine businesses. 
“There should be a sincere peace pact amongst diverse interests and leanings in Nigeria so as to resolve whatever differences responsible for civil crisis and unrest in the country while adequate power generation, diversification of economy, provision of infrastructures can be surest ways of creating employment for the army of idle Nigerian youths,” he stressed.