COVID-19: Pro-labour organisation suggests socialist paradigm as solution

Razaq Bamidele

A pro-Labour civil society coalition, The Joint Action Front (JAF), has proffered Socialist Paradigm as solution to the Coronavirus that is threatening human existence, observing that the monster is as a result of the global capitalist order that has no solution to human problem.

This was contained in a communiqué issued after an extraordinary emergency online meeting recently with participation drawn from its executives, affiliates and allies to deliberate on the serious and more threatening attacks of the coronavirus pandemic to human existence with no solution or remedies in sight.

The communiqué, which was jointly signed by Dr. Dipo Fashina (Chairperson) and Comrade Abiodun Aremu, (Secretary), expressed concern about the apparent inability of the global capitalist order to address the devastation wrecked on humanity across the world.

“In the specific case of Nigeria, as at March 29, 2020 it has already recorded a death with over 110 others already afflicted by the COVID-19 and being currently quarantined and receiving medical attention as officially claimed by the Government agency – the NCDC.

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“The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, which was engendered by the exploitative capitalist mode of production, portends human catastrophe in Nigeria and of unimaginable consequences on humanity.The monumental consequences of the Coronavirus pandemic are that humanity faces the greatest threat to existence, in particular in Nigeria, with a socio-economic realities of poor wages, millions of unemployed youth and adult, lacking social protection for the aged and the vulnerable, inadequate and underfunded public health infrastructure and services, lacking and inadequate basic infrastructures for human development, poor response of the State to emergencies, etc.

“Therefore and therefore the working class and the poor masses are seriously endangered. And the Nigerian ruling class has driven the Nigerian State to a condition that poses serious danger to the existence of citizens,” the communiqué stated in part.

The document read further that,” it was against this background that the JAF Emergency Meeting made the following observations:

*That the failure of the Nigeria State to prepare for the outbreak of any infectious disease because of its capitalist policies of underfunding and undermining the health care system in the country poses serious danger to human existence.

*The latest crisis has further exposed the disregard for human life and penchant for greed and profit first by the capitalist system and its weakness and failure to address the needs of humanity, despite the advancement in technology.

*That irrespective of social status, anyone can be infected by the coronavirus pandemic, though it is only the rich and privileged class that can easily get tested and treated because of their corrupt enrichment with looted fund.

*That despite that the big business owners and corruptly enriched few rich class of Nigerians are now making huge donation for containing the coronavirus pandemic, they will continue to endanger the life and health of Nigerian workers by keeping their businesses open without safety measures for workers in the factories and essential industries.

*That the Nigeria Labour movement cannot and should not be seen to have closed offices at this dangerous movement in the life of humanity. That what beholds the Labour movement is to be democratically involved in providing leadership in the organisation of adequate responses for combating the epidemic.

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Against this background of the foregoing, JAF therefore called on trade unions and working people to support and fight for the following demands:

1. Immediate and urgent provision of safety measures to all health workers in the fore front of fighting against Covid-19, in addition to the payment of special allowances that is commensurate with the amount of their sacrifices and mandatory life assurance cover.
2. Immediate setting up of safety measures including standard testing centres in all factories. In order to ensure effective take-off of this, workers in all workplaces are enjoined to set up Safety Committees that will ensure that all key safety measures are in place and should be willing to resort to immediate shutdown of production anywhere the measures are not implemented. The life of workers must never be endangered for the interest of profits and Dangote factories and other big businesses are example of factories notorious for flouting safety measures.
3. That the Labour movement must fight to ensure that no worker loses their job or pay because of the Covid-19 pandemic and its attendant economic crisis.
4. Testing should compulsorily be made accessible to everybody with symptoms of Covid-19 irrespective of status and social standing, as against what is currently the practice, whereby only few centres are in operation.
5. Relief package including food, water, fuel and medicine should be provided by government in every community under a lockdown and the distribution put under a democratic control of elected committee of communities including trade unionists and activists.
6. A Monitoring Committee to expose factories and essential workplaces that are exposing the workers to danger without the provision of safety measures.
7. Provision of soap, hand sanitizers and face mask in all communities in Nigeria.
8. The Nigeria Labour movement should play a more active role under this situation in order to rescue the Nigerian workers and other oppressed classes.

The communiqué further called for solidarity among the working people and oppressed poor masses, while at the same time placing demands on the government to be responsible to their legitimate demands insisting that, the working people must be prepared to struggle against anti-poor, capitalist attacks that will be intensified when the covid-19 pandemic is over.

“The greatest lesson the working people and the poor masses should learn from Covid-19 pandemic, which is a manifestation of failure and weakness of capitalism, is the need to fight for a socialist order where all human and material resources including science and technology will be deployed for the needs of humanity, not for the greed of the few rich class.

“And this is why JAF has consistently called for a SYSTEM CHANGE and argues for a mass working people’s party based on a programme of socialist reconstruction of the society,” the communiqué concluded.