FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHTS, INFORMAL WORKERS URGED

Comrade Gbenga Komolafe
Secretary General, FIWON

People working in the informal sector of the economy have been urged to fight for their rights. This was done by speakers at the Quarterly Workshop of the Lagos State Chapter of the Federation of Informal Workers of Nigeria (FIWON) held on Wednesday in Iyana Ipaja. 

All speakers at the workshop including Comrade Abiodun Aremu (Secretary, Joint Action Front), Barrister Adesina Ogunlana (Vice Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association Ikeja Branch), Professor Princewill Alozie (LASU), Dr. Adeolu Olusodo (Society for Love &Social Justice) and Comrade Gbenga Komolafe (Secretary General, FIWON) all stated that rights are not given to people but are demanded and fought for by the people.

The informal sector represents over 80% of the working force and contributes 65% to the Gross Domestic Product of the country. In the lead paper, Decent work deficits in the informal economy in Nigeria: The Human Right angle, Comrade Gbenga Komolafe highlighted the many securities that are lacking in the informal sector which affects the lives of those working in the sector. He faulted the move of Lagos State Government to form a body for people in the informal sector stating that informal workers have the right to form and run their own organisations.

In their submissions, both Prof. Alozie and Dr. Adeolu Olusodo called on people in the informal sector to put their destinies in their hands by taking active part in the political process, as they organise themselves to protect their interests. Prof. Alozie was emphatic in his call to Nigerians to shun the existing ruling parties and tirelessly work towards building a true masses party to take power from those ruling with impunity now.

Comrade Abiodun Aremu singled out the persistent desire to entrench cheating of others by those ruling as the cause of conflict in the society. He traced the origin of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to the continuos struggle of slaves and workers in the past. He called on Nigerians to fight for political rights even in the face of death.

The workshop had in attendance workers from many parts of the informal sector with their leaders visibly present. This is the second workshop to the organised by the Lagos Chapter of FIWON.