NBA President, Yakubu Maikyau has called on the Federal and State Government administrations to take deliberate steps towards policies that promote inclusiveness.
He also urged the incoming administration to protect small and medium-sized enterprises, grow the middle class, and prioritize infrastructural development.
“We urge the incoming government of President-elect Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to protect entrepreneurs and grow the middle class,” said Yakubu Maikyau (SAN), the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in his Workers’ Day Message on Monday.
“Now more than ever before, deliberate steps must be taken to safeguard the socioeconomic rights of workers,” he emphasized.
In addition, Maikyau stressed the need for increased accountability on subsidy spending.
He added that “the misappropriation and circumvention of monies earmarked for subsidies, especially petrol subsidy, must be treated as economic sabotage, and those found culpable must be prosecuted.”
Maikyau commended the ingenuity and resourcefulness of workers in the public and private sectors, the self-employed, sole proprietors, and entrepreneurs who create employment opportunities despite the current economic challenges. He noted that Nigeria could take its rightful place in the comity of nations with the right tools and incentives.
According to Maikyau, the NBA has dwelt on the thematic areas of Security, Economy, and the Judiciary. Major factors discussed include economic recession, insecurity, brain-drain, high levels of unemployment, and underdevelopment.
He emphasized that addressing the root causes through worker-friendly policies was the solution, rather than superficial interventions.
Maikyau also revealed that lawyers are working to resolve the perennial challenge of employee remuneration through the recommendations of the NBA Remuneration Committee.
He pledged that the NBA would continue to champion the continuous professional development of its members, ensuring that they are equipped with the skills to thrive in Africa and globally.
