The condition of 3.8 billion persons without social protection gets worse by the day following the impact of climate change.
This was revealed at a two day meeting in Abuja, by the International Labour Organisation, ILO, the Danish Trade Union, DTU, and the Organisation of Trade Unions in West Africa, OTUWA.
Despite remarkable progress being made by countries including Nigeria in providing social protection, the latest report by the International Labour Organisation, ILO, says at least 3.8 billion people globally are living without any form of Social Protection.
The report contended that social protection makes an important contribution to both climate change adaptation and mitigation measures; and so on.
Trade unions in West Africa, with support from the Denmark government, the Danish trade union and the international Labour Organisation, are analysing the adverse effect of climate change on persons who are already denied social protection.
A case in point is the 400, 000 persons displaced by flood in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, north east Nigeria.
The trade unions are also concerned about West Africa’s most productive sector, agriculture.
As trade unions in west Africa conclude on sending recommendations to their governments, they continue to express worry that the adverse effects of climate change is real and governments must join hands as stakeholders to find ways of educating and conscientising citizens of useful adaptation measures and also ensuring that society provides adequate safe guards for vulnerable citizens once they encounter unpredictable climatic disaster.
(Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe)
