Ayuba Wabba, President of Nigeria Labour Congress, on Wednesday said that the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the challenges in Nigeria’s education and health sectors.
The NLC president therefore asked the Federal Government to increase investments in both sectors.
The labour leader noted that the two sectors shape development everywhere around the world.
He spoke at the investiture/award for the President, Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), Josiah Biobelemoye by the Ethics Resource Centre, Abuja.
He said: “COVID -19 has exposed the challenges in the two critical sectors of our economy and those sectors actually shape development everywhere around the world – health and education sector.
“Therefore we need more investments in education and health. Our people need to be healthy for them to be productive. If we don’t do this, then certainly all the seventeen goals of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) will be difficult to achieve.”
Wabba said labour leaders in the country needed knowledge- driven approach to be able to engage the new emerging challenges in the world of work.
MHWUN president, Biobelemoye commended the organisers of the award, saying: “I pledge that I shall continue to share your ideals of excellence and commitment to my vocation for the rest of the period of my sojourn on earth.”
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Bello appealed to health workers to continue to work for improved service delivery in the system.
Bello, who was represented by Director of Human Resources, Federal Capital Territory Administration, Muhammad Bashir, added that he would prioritise the welfare of health workers in the FCT.