President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Abdulwahed Omar, has urged government to stop the sale of scratch cards to applicants for employment.

According to a release by the General-Secretary, Comrade Chris Uyot, the leadership of NLC urged that all application process should be free and unencumbered.

“Congress frowns at governments’ agencies milking applicants by way of asking them to buy scratch cards, or pay needless sums at banks knowing full well that they will not offer jobs to these hapless applicants,” it said.

Also, the congress insisted that economic growth must come with jobs, saying that in spite of figures justifying economic growth, unemployment rates have more than quadrupled in recent years making not a few to conclude that the country has never had it so bad.

The congress also condemned the levels of crude oil theft, saying the vive has virtually left the economy prostrate.

Meanwhile, on the nation’s independence, NLC said that the founding fathers had a vision at independence which clearly went beyond ceremonial, or flag independence, saying their vision encapsulated a productive economy, socio-economic justice, peaceful co-existence of which every Nigerian should be proud.

On the recent massacre of students by Boko Haram sect in Yobe State, Omar said the congress condemned the barbaric act and urged that security officials should put measures in place that would forestall a repeat of the ugly incident.

“Congress appreciates the challenges our security agencies are facing in the course of maintaining the peace during these moments, but condemns in strong terms the incessant and protracted senseless killings of helpless and innocent Nigerians. The latest of these, being the Apo killings and the murder of over 50 students in the College of Agriculture, Yobe,” it concluded.