A coalition of labour movements and over 70 civil society groups have launched a new group to campaign for the protection of the interests of workers and the vulnerable poor against the far-reaching economic and socio-cultural impact of COVID-19 in Nigeria.
The new coalition, Alliance on Surviving Covid-19 and Beyond, ASCAB, was launched on Wednesday ahead of Workers Day (May 1).
Radical lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, has been chosen as the interim chairman.
Other interim officers are Deputy Chairman, Ms. Hauwa Mustapha; Secretary, Mr. Ade Atambi and Secretary for Publicity, Mr. Adewale Adeoye.
The group in a statement signed by its Secretary for Publicity, Adewale Adeoye, said the coalition had an extensive network of participating organisations drawn from across Nigeria’s six-geo political zones.
Some of the affiliates are members of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC; Nigerian Trade Union Congress, TUC; United Action for Democracy, UAD; Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre, WARD-C; Journalists for Democratic Rights, JODER; Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association Of Nigeria, Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation; Civil Services Technical And Recreational Services Employees, AUPCTRE; Civil Liberties Organization, CLO; COPEAIDS Foundation; Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, CDHR among many others.
“COVID-19 is taking a high toll on the beliefs, culture and economy of Nigerians. It is a threat to every household. The working class and the poor will suffer most. The State and Federal Governments’ responses to COVID-19 show the lack of the least preparation for any pandemic in Nigeria. It has exposed the weaknesses and ineptitude of the ruling class. It shows they have no strategic response to an affliction of the COVID-19 magnitude,” ASCAB said in its missions statement.
ASCAB bemoaned the fact that coronavirus is turning the world upside down and that responses from the corrupt elite was for a lockdown until the virus goes away without a short and long term strategic plan.
It said authorities in Nigeria had failed to link the spread of the pandemic to failure of an effective public health system, the absence of social security and health insurance for the masses, while governments had no preference for provision of the essentials of life like housing and food security.
It condemned a regime of policies driven by investments in consumables rather than production.
It said the coronavirus had exposed the vulnerability of Nigerians to communicable diseases and had demonstrated the complete lack of creativity on the part of leadership.
It warned on the consequences of neglecting indigenous alternative medicine by public health administrators.
It said there were 72,000 doctors registered with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, MDCN, but more than half of the population had been compelled to flee the country for overseas.
The group said COVID-19 would have long and short term implications for the political economy of Nigeria and that only a leadership driven by common good can lead Nigeria out of the doldrums.
It said that about 90 million Nigerians, half of the population live in poverty and are at greater risk of facing grievous COVID-19 impacts.
ASCAB said it would work with local, regional and international organisations to ensure networking and collaboration for leadership responsibility in Africa and Nigeria.
ASCAB has produced The Action Programme drawn up in the wake of the break-out of the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdowns, containing a wide range of demands and activities that will provide the necessary safety nets for vulnerable Nigerians.
The Action Programme is anchored on mobilisation of Nigerians to engage their leaders in an organised manner for good governance, effective and efficient service delivery.
Demands in the programme of the coalition are that during the lockdowns, there should be provision of essentials of life like food, no water or electricity disconnections for non-payments, provision of water and electricity at government expense, all households, residential institutions and the homeless must have access to adequate food.
ASCAB, among other things, also demands for building of new public hospitals, existing health facilities to be upgraded, immediate stoppage of commercialisation and privatisation of services in public hospitals, essential private facilities must be taken over and organised for public use to provide a unified and fair distribution of essential goods, medical care and other services to all communities, and at government expense.
