Gov. David Umahi rejects calls for minimum wage review.

 

The Governor of Ebonyi state,David Umahi says the calls for upward review of the minimum wage,would place the states under further financial burden.

That the current economic realities in the country, which had made it difficult for many states to the N18,000 minimum wage, increasing the amount to N56,000 would put the states under immense financial burden.

Admitting that  government workers were poorly paid, however, lamented that the level of productivity of civil servants was lower than what they currently earned.

According to him,“When 80 per cent of the budget of a state and sometimes 100 per cent is used to pay workers’ salaries, then the questions we should ask is what are the workers doing? Because you must have some money for capital projects; that is the essence of the workers in the first place.

“The point is that no state can pay that N56,000 minimum wage amount. Probably, only Lagos can pay and so what is the need of talking about a new minimum wage when states, as it is today, cannot pay salaries. So that’s my position.”

“What I will advocate is to look into the affairs of workers by allowing them to key into entrepreneurship programmes of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Bank of Industry, and then be trained in small-scale industries and businesses, and this will make them earn more and be happier,”

The NLC, through its General Secretary Dr.peter Ozo -Eson has been quick to react to this position.
He stated:  “the governor is entitled to his opinion, but we are not deterred by that statement. We agree that the tripartite committee should go on and bring out its recommendations. We agree with the steps the Federal Government has taken.

“The governor should first put his house in order. A disgruntled workforce cannot be productive. So, if there is a problem with productivity in his state, he should look within.”

Do not tamper with Paris Club Fund-NULGE

Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has spoken more on the prevailing lack of salary payments among the state governments.In a statement, it said,  that 22 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have failed to pay local government staff salaries for period ranging between one and 16 months.

Saying that said 14 states including Lagos, Ogun, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Sokoto, Kebbi, Bauchi, Borno, Yobe, Gombe, Cross River, Niger and Anambra were up to date in the payment of local government workers’ entitlement.

They further said  that Bayelsa State leads in indebtedness chart by owing up to 16 months workers’ salaries, followed by Kogi (15), Delta (14), Kaduna (12), Oyo (11) and Edo (10).

They asked governors of the affected states to offset the salaries and other allowances of local government workers with the second tranche of the Paris Club loan refund released to them, warning that it will be forced to shut down all local government councils in the country if the state governments fail to pay the entitlements.

Its National President, Ibrahim Khaleel, warned state governors not to divert or tamper with the second tranche of Paris Club loan refund but use it to offset the entitlement of workers.

And vowed to mobilize its teeming members and shut down all the local governments across the country if the payments are not met.

The President of the new labour centre Joe Ajaero speaks on issues on concerning workers

Joe Ajaero is the President of the United Labour Congress, that was formed following the issues surrounding the last NLC elections. He speaks on issues concerning workers in Nigeria

ILO statement on conflicts, crisis: We don’t need a statement from the ILO to stop the carnage in the North-East in form of Boko Haram and insurgency. What we need is a Nigeria solution to Nigeria problem. We believe since President Muhammadu Buhari came into power, you can see a reasonable amount of seriousness in combating insurgency.

But it has left a lot of social challenges such as migration issues. There are a lot of destitute that are there to be fed. People have lost their jobs in the cause of the carnage. Apart from that , the issue of jobs insecurity should be   paramount in all our agitations.  If you employed 1,000 new workers and you sacked 5,000, it does not make sense.

The level of jobs insecurity in Nigeria is alarming especially from the multinationals who are importing Indian and Chinese to take over Nigerian jobs in the oil and gas, electricity, telecommunication among others.

Besides that, there are issue of precarious work because most jobs are being casualised by multinationals and other private employers. If you said you are creating employment and such employment is not decent, we should bring this matter to the attention of ILO.

We should let the ILO know that the jobs they are creating in Nigeria are the type that people are using umbrella to sell recharge cards. We should pay attention    to decent jobs and sustenance    of the jobs that are in existence.

Social dialogue:   We believe in social dialogue and Nigeria preaches it especially at the government circle. Most often, you notice that it is practiced in the breach.

If you have a tripod that two legs are on one  side, then you have to pity the other side. In this tripod, especially in case of Nigeria, both the employers and government are usually on one side. In fact, the two are employers which has made the other leg, which is labour,  to be weak .

Government is an employer as well as a regulator. Employers most times, call the shot. In such a situation, you can’t say the tripod is standing effectively. In the private sector, you see the dictatorship of employers.  When they hire, they may decide not to pay. They don’t even go into collective bargaining and no condition of service. In such a scenario,    you can’t say social dialogue exists.

In some states it is the same thing. Governors think they can hire and fire at will. There is no social dialogue in such areas. We have been preaching it, there is need to institutionalise and internalise it in our ways of life.

Migration: You know  the Nigerian economy is not doing well. There is high level of unemployment. You see high turnout of graduates looking for jobs which they cannot get. After a long search, they may decide  to go other areas which lead to migration.

Even within the Nigerian space, if you listen to what is happening, you hear some people asking others to leave their areas. You hear about indigenisation.  So, even if there are jobs in state A and there no jobs in state B, it is not expected that you use the available manpower in state A to solve the problem in state B.

All these issues, including the hostile environment such as  kidnapping or insurgency make people to leave their places to go to other places.

There must be a conscious plan by the state to check the insecurity and unemployment issues. There are economies in the world that provide social safety nets like unemployment benefits that when you finish school, you will get certain stipends until you get a job. There are economies that provide for old men benefits, provide for health services for the elderly. So, these pressures make people to move from one place to the other in search of greener pasture. So, migration is mainly because of economic issues. So, if we addressed our economic issues, I think  issue of migration will be addressed. There was a time when Nigerians were not travelling out of the country, especially when Yakubu Gowon said Nigeria problem was not money, but how to spend it. We had money, but we didn’t know how to manage it. So, as far as there is poverty and unemployment, insurgency and kidnapping, people are bound to leave their places of abode to other places. Now that there are discriminatory employment policies and educational policies, this movement will continue to occur. We must go back to the Nigerian federation to ask how to address this issue. That is why we said we must get a Nigerian solution to Nigerian problem.

Labour unity:  We know  there is no war in the unions. We also know that there is no one way of doing things. We know that even within families, people have different ideologies. The husband can be in one party and the wife in another. That is not crisis and that is not war. If you knew when there was crisis in the Labour movement, you would realise what is happening is a child play. Even what you are referring to, either in the NLC or TUC, we have not heard or seen somebody slaps another or uses unprintable words. But we are aware that we decided to do things differently to take care of people that are with us. We understand that we should not be going to civil service union to do certain things if we are not invited. That is to tell you that we recognize departmentalisation in the course of our jobs. We want to tell you that there is peace in terms of what is happening. Even in those days when government took over NLC, we came up with joint action committees to take actions. If we have challenges now, we can still come together on issues that affect the workers.

ULC registration: We are  happy that you called it a process and the process goes on. The TUC had 27 years before it was registered. That was a process and member were resilient. In fact they had to change names several times. This is a process we started in December and we want to be peaceful about it. Between December and now is just less than seven months. We have expressed anxiety on the delay.

Avoiding provocation

The last correspondence we got before coming to ILO was that the process was still in place. We don’t think that we should now come with threat. Let me tell you that the ULC has what it takes to demand its registration  within 48 hours  and get it. But it would mean that we are threatening the establishment.

So, we will allow the process to take its course so that nobody will accuse us of being registered through the back door. That is what we have done, being patient as we have been. That is why we are trying to avoid provocation. We realize that we have to bend to the rules, do what we are asked to do and allow them to do their job even when it is going beyond time expected. So, patience is a virtue that we must all learn to imbibe.

Unpaid salaries: It is always  sad when you hear workers in the public sector are not being paid including the pensioners who are being owed for one year or more in some cases. You will ask if there are unions in these places to compel governors to pay workers their salaries. It is worse that after Paris Club refunds,    we are still talking about non-payment of salaries and pensions. Let me say that ULC is worried about it. You will recall that  in some states, we were able to push for the payment of salaries. We are ready to collaborate with NLC and TUC to see how to move the struggle forward and to also ensure that the affected workers and pensioners who had worked    so hard for their benefits, are paid their salaries.

Never the less, at the sectorial level, the ULC cannot move into any sector if we are not invited because there is demarcation in union practice. If a state is controlled by public sector union, say the civil service union, until the union writes you and tells you the problems it is facing, you do not force yourself there. ULC as a body cannot go  and picket any company which workers are affiliated to it unless such workers through their union write to the ULC complaining about  such issue . Also, we will not delve into factory where the TUC or the NLC is taking action without NLC or TUC inviting ULC to such place.

Take home from ILO: That was why I said we need Nigeria solution to Nigeria problems. The ILO looks at global standards which you discover we are not implementing in Nigeria. If you recall even at the level of Industrial, we organised some programmers such as road shows to look at those employers who are involved in these precarious jobs and fight them. But those who regulate labour matters in Nigerians seem to be sleeping. For example, these days we do not have labour inspectors as we used to that go to the factories to ensure that standards were complied with.

“Entrepreneurs just set up companies without labour inspectors going there to ensure that standards are complied with. So, the ministry of labour should intensify effort by engaging labour inspectors so that all the standards are complied with before people take up jobs. Employers are taking advantage of the unemployment situation to advertise for jobs where millions of people will apply for such jobs and they would then use the opportunity to exploit workers as they are not be ready to comply with minimum standard including wage and safety standards. Especially in the banking sector, the level of casualisation is alarming. So, all hands must be on deck to arrest this challenge.

Culled from The Vanguard

Crisis rocks NLC affiliate, NUBIFIE

The National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE) has been engulfed in leadership crisis with two factions emerging. While one is based in Lagos, the other is in Abuja.

The NUBIFIE crisis might not be unconnected with the difference between the NLC and the United Labour Congress (ULC). While the National leadership operating from Lagos and led by  Comrade Danjuma Musa, was trying to pull out NUBIFIE from the NLC to join the ULC, the Abuja faction, led by Comrade Godling Litkang, said Danjuma, his treasurer and General Secretary have been suspended from the union.

The crisis has led to the arrest and detention of Comrade Danjuma by the Police for a week in Abuja, but later released through the intervention of Wabba.

NLC tours affiliate unions

The Leadership of the NLC, led  by its president Ayuba Wabba has has embarked on assessment tour of affiliate unions.

hoping it would boost the affiliates’confidence and assure them that they are not being left alone.
Wabba said “Our movement can prosper in unity if we keep the tradition of unity. We are not unmindful of all the challenges that our workers are going through, such issues as unpaid salaries and allowances.”

He said so far, the NLC leadership has visited the National Union of Hotels Personal Services Workers (NUHPSW), the Agriculture and Allied Employees Union of Nigeria (AAEUN), the National Union of Academic Technologists (NAAT), the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) and the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

He said the union took the step when crisis was tearing the leadership of the NLC affiliates apart.

Labour to partner EFCC and ICPC on Paris Club refund

The Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress have written to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission to probe the states, which defaulted in the first tranche of the N516bn Paris Club loan refund.

According to today.ng,The TUC President, Bobboi Kaigama, and the NLC General Secretary, Peter Ozo-Eson, confirmed this on Thursday, adding that the partnership between Labour and the anti-graft agencies would equally be important in the utilisation of the second tranche of the refund.
The labour centres had alleged that some state governments failed to use part of the money they got from the loan refund to pay salaries or to offset arrears of pension deductions.

The federal and state governments had, in December 2016, agreed that states should use 50 per cent of the refund to settle salary and pension arrears when the fund was released.

But the NLC President, Mr. Ayuba Wabba, had, in an interview on June 4, said more than 26 states benefited from the first tranche of the Paris Club refund, but lamented that about 10 states were still owing workers and pensioners.

“Many of the states have been diverting the bailout meant to pay outstanding salaries and pension to other things; and this is why we are in the present situation,” he had stated.

The Federal Ministry of Finance had, on Friday, published the allocation of the first tranche of N516.38bn reimbursement to the states.
From the statement by the finance ministry, the top five states are Rivers, N34.92bn; Delta, N27.6bn; Akwa Ibom, N25.98bn; Bayelsa, N24.89bn and Kano, N21.7bn.

These five are followed by Lagos, N16.74bn; Katsina, N16.4bn; Kaduna, N15.44bn; Borno, N14.68bn; Jigawa, N14.2bn; Imo, N14.01bn; Niger, N14.42bn; Bauchi, N13.75bn; Sokoto, N12.88bn; and Osun, N12.62bn.

Others are Cross River, N12.15bn; Anambra, N12.24bn; Edo, N12.18bn; Kebbi, N11.95bn; Kogi, N11.05bn; Abia, N11.43bn; Ogun, N11.47bn; and Plateau, N11.28bn.

Similarly, Yobe got N10.82bn; Zamfara, N10.88bn; Ebonyi, N9.01bn; Ekiti, N9.54bn; Enugu, N10.7bn; Gombe, N8.95bn; Nasarawa, N9.1bn; Oyo, N13.31bn; and Kwara, N10.24bn.
Others are Adamawa, N10.25bn; Benue, N13.7bn; Ondo, N14.01bn; Taraba, N9.32bn, and the Federal Capital Territory, N1.36bn.

The Director of Information in the finance ministry, Salisu Dambatta, who signed the statement, had said, “The funds were released to the state governments as part of the wider efforts to stimulate the economy and were specifically designed to support states in meeting salary and other obligations, thereby alleviating the challenges faced by workers.”
The TUC President, Kaigama, told our correspondent on Wednesday that the union had involved the EFCC and the ICPC to probe states which defaulted in using the disbursements to pay workers.

He said, “We have asked the ICPC and the EFCC to probe those states; we already called for their probe. The call we made to the EFCC and ICPC is not only for the first tranche, but subsequent tranches.
“The anti-graft agencies and the TUC have been interacting well on the probe.

“We are working with the Federal Government which directed that the fund be used first for the payment of arrears and pensions before the states do anything else. So if the states do anything else, it would be contrary to the directive.
“We have been liaising with the anti-corruption agencies to make sure that they follow these disbursements. We also ask our TUC state levels to monitor the disbursements.”

The NLC Secretary, Ozo-Eson, said, “We have involved the anti-corruption agencies. From the first bailout, we partnered the ICPC to monitor the funds and we expect this to continue. Our directive to the NLC state councils is to also monitor the funds and ensure that the payment of arrears of salaries and pensions take priority.”

It was learnt from an NLC source that some states, however, still had yet to clear about five months’ salaries owed their workers.

The Head of Media of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, on Sunday, said he was not aware of the petitions from the labour unions to the agency as his office was not in charge of receiving petitions.

“I am not aware. You know my office does not receive petitions,” the commission’s spokesman stated.
The anti-graft agency had, however, in February, confirmed that it was investigating some governors as well as the accounts of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum in connection with the N516bn Paris Club loan refund to the states.

Some petitions had alleged that some of the state governors, using some consultants and proxies, diverted about N19bn from the refund to the NGF’s account.

587 Million NGN approved for payment of teachers in Kano

The Kano State Government said it had approved N578 million for the payment of 44, 654 primary school teachers and other non-teaching personnel
under the state’s Universal Basic Education Board. ‎
‎‎The Commissioner for Information, Malam Mohammed Garba, made this known on Tuesday in a statement by the Press Secretary to the state Governor,‎ Mallam Ameen Yassar‎.
‎He said the amount would cater for those who had been notionally promoted in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. ‎‎‎
‎
He stated that the State Executive council, under the chairmanship of the Deputy Governor, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, approved the payment, which takes effect from June 2017, following negotiations with representatives of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT).

“After series of deliberations between the government and the unions, especially in view of the financial situation, it was unanimously agreed that the workers would forfeit their arrears.
“As at May, 2017, the state government was paying the primary school teachers N2. 33 billion, but with the new development, their salaries would rise to N2. 91 billion,” he said.
According to him, the council has directed the Ministry of Finance and Office of the Accountant General to ensure that implementation of the increased salaries from the month of June, 2017 begins immediately,” he said.

Pay our salary arrears, or face strike- NUT

The 19 states owing backlog of salary arrears of teachers have been given 30 days to pay up, or face the prospect of an idefinite strike.
At the NEC meeting held at Teachers House, Ibadan, the states named are;
Benue-10 months
Ekiti and Cross River-6 months
Kogi, has been paying half salaries since 2013 and owes 15 months
Ondo-5 months
Taraba- 4 months
Niger, Delta,Oyo- 3 months
Abia- 4 months
Osun,23 months of half salaries
Nasarawa,half salary for 18 months
Plateau, half salary since 2010
Adamawa, four months, Bayelsa eight and a half months
Imo (paying 70% monthly salary, Kwara owes four months
Borno, yet to pay minimum wage
Zamfara (yet to implement national minimum wage).

“We hereby give a 30-day ultimatum to all the above-mentioned states to pay all outstanding salaries being owed teachers. They will soon collect another Paris Club money and we hope they will pay all the backlog of salary arrears.” ” If any State fails to pay up within this stipulated time, we shall converge again and give a notice of action. There is going to be total disconnect between us and such governments”

Local Governments cannot fund Primary Education-NUT

The NUT president in a news conference on Thursday in Abuja, says funding of primary education by local government governments will affect learning and teaching at the foundation level of education.
He also said that, said the union was not against local government autonomy but that the funding of primary education should not be the responsibility of local governments.

“Primary education, in particular, constitutes the foundation framework of the entire educational structure of a nation.

“As you are aware, the NUT owes it a duty to protect the interest and welfare of its members and contribute its quota to the growth and advancement of the education industry.

“It is on this premise that we want to sensitise relevant stakeholders and the general public on the danger inherent in the on-going agitation for local government autonomy as it affects the funding and management of primary education.

“Primary education requires proper funding and management.

“It is an incontrovertible fact that any structure erected on a weak and shaky foundation cannot stand; it will certainly collapse.

“It is distressingly painful that this all important stratum of our educational system has suffered untold neglect and underfunding without adequate motivation for teachers at this level of our educational system.

“It is the responsibility of the state government to fund and manage primary education,” he said.

A New Union in Nigeria?

Reports reaching us strongly suggest that another union is taking root in the country. The Union is, Basic Education Staff Union of Nigeria (BESUN).

The union is made up of primary school teachers in Lagos  state, and recently won a case against the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) In the judgement, the National Industrial court held that : “the primary school teachers have the constitutional right to belong to any association and equally have possess the right of exit their membership of Nigeria Union of Teachers.

More information on this shall be brought to your information as it comes in.

Why Labour Needs Unity

To an average labour union observer,the division that rears its head, cannot be dismissed. The division, stemming from pressures of employers, governments and players themselves, are slowly weakening the ranks of labour unionism. This article, written in the Nigerian Pilot newspapers, will help us see this more.   

The lingering crisis facing the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC,resulting into the creation of another faction, the United LaborCongress, ULC, is a disturbing and unfortunate development.
It could be described as time bomb that will turn catastrophicif it eventually explodes. In the current case in point, the parentNigeria Labour Congress, NLC, is now factionalized with a new labourunion, the United Labor Congress, ULC, emerging. ULC opted out from the main labour centre and has several affiliates, chief among which are
the powerful , National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers Union, NUPENG, and the National Union of Electricity Workers, two critical labour units, which at any point in time can be significant affiliates and powerful allied to any parent union whether it is the old NLC or the new ULC. ULC’s strategic partners are however endless as more and more unions are reportedly being wooed day -by –day by the promoters,
Peter Ajaero and Igwe Agese who double as President and DeputyPresident of the new body respectively. 

Though 18 industrial unions were reported to be physically present at its unveiling, the new labour centre is said to have more than 25 industrial unions and senior staff associations affiliated to it. Among the affiliates listed are: ANAP Chemical and Non-
Metallic Products Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, CANMPSSAN, Fitters Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, FISSAN, NUBIFIE, NUEE, NUPENG, National Union of Shop and Distributive Employees, NUSDE, Nigeria Union of Mine Workers, NUMW, Nigeria Union of Railway men, NUR, Steel and Engineering Workers Union of Nigeria, SEWUN, Iron and Steel Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, ISSSAN, Metal Products Senior
Staff Association of Nigeria, MEPROSSAN, Precision, Electrical andRe lated Equipment Senior Staff Association, PRESESSA, and Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions, ASURI. 

Before unveiling the new body in Lagos, December, 17,2016, ULC President, Mr. Joe Ajaero told the delegates that they were not contesting with anybody or faction, but
were engaging in a new path caused by what he described as exigency of the moment. He however promised to work with other progressive groups and organizations including unions to better the lots of workers and ordinary Nigerians at the inauguration of the body. 

According to him “we are ready to fight for the interest of workers in line with the
constitution of Nigeria” Corroborating Ajero’s inauguration remarks, ULC deputy president, Igwe Achese, said it was sad that workers nationwide have been abandoned to suffer without salaries. He accused the states, as well as the federal government for the sufferings Nigerian workers were going through in the country. “You ask where is labour when all these are going on and you will not get a convincing answer. I believe we have a responsibility to these workers. That is why we are here to celebrate the
beginning of a new hope for workers” he stated further.
 However flowing from the concise remarks by the arrow heads, it is cork sure that a new body has actually berthed. But the question to ask is why have a third labor centre, in addition to the Nigeria labor Congress, NLC and the Trade Union Congress, TUC? Is it that the new group will be better- off fighting for the welfare of workers the way they have sounded? 

What then can be the difference between the old NLC and the new group? But speaking on the issue, the Secretary General of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Dr Peter Ozo-Eson, accused the government of being the brain behind the Ajero faction which has applied to be registered as a labor union. He said that it was the federal government’s hidden support for the new United Labour Congress, ULC, led by factional leaders, Joe Ajero, and Igwe Ajese that led to its formation. According to him, the federal government plans to weaken labour in order to promote anti-workers policies and engage in
untoward policies and programmes. In truth we agree with the school of thought that there is government hand in the new labour centre. 

In 2005, President Olusegun Obasanjo perfected the plan to break the ranks of the NLC by amending the Trade Union Act which resulted in the formation of two centres in the country today, the NLC and TUC. Again this is not different from the Obasanjo days as the present government appears set to repeat former President Olusegun Obasanjo 2005 feat by attempting to weaken the Ayuba Wabba strong labour force and bring
in the ULC through the back door. Though it is needless to ask what this administration really wants or desire to achieve by supporting a new labour centre, facts are there that for this administration to further deregulate the petroleum sector, lay off workers and introduce though economic policies, it needs first of all to break the ranks of labour, and then create a puppet union/centre which it can influence to do its biddings. 

True to type these occurrences are not new in the history of the country. Time and again efforts have been put by new governments to stifle labor, it does occur even in the states, local governments and in the private sector. But with civility and democracy, it is noteworthy to state that times are changing as labour is getting sophisticated and set to defend its followers, just as the workers too are getting enlightened to know their rights and are ready at every point to defend it and remove
any leader who compromises. For us, we see this time as most appropriate for the Ayuba and Ajero groups to close ranks because workers interests are better served under one unified centre, and not the other way round.

Factionalization of the NLC is not good for the country now as in time past; the NLC has stood as the defender of the people in the face of harsh government policies. Succinctly put, no anti -government movement in the country ever succeeded without the support of the NLC, so it is time to repeat that accomplishment .We therefore plead with meaningful and respected Nigerians as well as past labour leaders to settle the rift between the factions ; for it is so unfortunate that the NLC which everybody,every government once dreaded as the voice of the voiceless will now become a toothless bulldog. Imagine the suffering in the land today as many workers are without salaries, with fuel subsidy withdrawal, indiscriminate electricity tariff increase and many labor infractions by this government which have wrecked untold hardships among the
people .

For instance, the NLC declared a strike action against the general suffering in the country and fuel price increase, which the other faction declined to join. These are challenges inherent in the current crisis, when labour does not speak with one voice but is divisive. Regrettably we see this as government’s real hidden desire and agenda, a divided labor. 
For that reason it is a task for the groups in this misunderstanding to continue to
imbibe the generally accepted and age- long slogan: ‘’United will stand, divided we fall’’ because it will be to the benefit of Nigerian workers and a sense of honor and patriotism on Ayuba, Ajero and Ajese ,to bury their egos; their differences and allow common sense to prevail. 

This is because a strong and formidable labour force is the bedrock for the success of democracy and the rule of law in itself. There could be no better time than now for the three dramatis personae, Ayuba Wabba, Joe Ajero and Igwe Ajesse to strive to return the NLC to its old glorious days.
Efforts therefore should be redoubled by respected Nigerians especially past notable labour leaders to settle the warring groups once and for all.
Credit:The Nigerian Pilot

International Labour Conference commences in Switzerland

The International Labour Conference (ILC) is ongoing in Geneva.And the NLC, is represented by its President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba. He used the opportunity of the event to speak on the state of workers in Nigeria.

He said that that the situation of workers in Nigeria is exacerbating, lamenting that the high and increasing cost of living, rising number of dependents given the deepening unemployment situation in the country is getting out of hand. The speech read in part;

 “We wish to state that the situation of the working poor in Nigeria continues to be dire and exacerbating. This is because of the high and increasing cost of living, rising number of dependents given the deepening unemployment situation, low social protection coverage, delayed payment of salaries amongst others. It is for these reasons that we have demanded and achieved the composition of the tripartite national minimum wage committee to deliver an upward review.

“We also wish to state that migration as an unstoppable human phenomenon will require broad-based collaboration, especially as we seek to ensure shared migrations benefits. For Nigeria and Africa, our demographic trends suggests that we will require assistance on youth’s skills development and employment creations opportunities”



“We wish to salute the efforts of the Nigerian government and the Joint Multinational Task Force on the determined collaborative efforts that has led to improved security and the downgrading of the capabilities of Boko Haram to wreak havoc on our people. We equally salute the courage and compassion of the Nigerian government to negotiate the release of another 82 of the kidnapped Chibok girls.

Nigerian government and security agencies will continue to enjoy our support as they work to ensure the release of all kidnapped persons and the total liberation of the ensure communities in North-East Nigeria

“We cherish the values and efficacy of dialogue. It is in this regard that we commend the continuous dialogue with our people in the Niger-delta by the government. This is yielding good results as sabotaging of petroleum facilities have substantially reduced and economic activities in the region picking up. Organised labour will continue to encourage and support the dialogue process as well as monitor the progress.”

The President of the NLC also used the opportunity to speak on the conditions of the workplace .

According to him, decent work was a solution to global peace, insisting that there could not be sustainable development without respect for human dignity, saying: “Similarly, we share the view that social justice through decent work is a panacea to global peace, as there cannot be sustainable development without respect for human dignity.
Mr. President, we are particularly pleased that the ILO has effectively realised that peace is essential to the pursuit of decent work, dignity and well-being. It is for this reason we commend the ILO for initiating the review of Recommendation 71 to use Employment and Decent Work to accelerate peace and resilience.”

NLC Nasarawa Strike: Government invokes ‘no work no pay’ policy

The Nasarawa state government has adopted a `no work no pay’ policy on striking public sector workers,in respect to the ongoing strike in the state.

The state Head of Service in a statement, said that the action was in line with the labour law which stipulated that worker on strike would not be entitled to wages or remuneration throughout the period of the strike.Assuring civil servants not participating in the ongoing strike would have their salaries paid.

In his reaction, Ahmed Naibi, Secretary of the state chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said the government had no right to take the action.

According to him, the no work no pay policy applies only if workers abscond from duty for no good reason.

The NLC scribe stressed that the law quoted by the government also gave workers the right to embark on strike, adding that the striking workers would not be intimidated.

He explained that the strike was over non-payment of February and March 2017 workers salaries.

“The government only paid January 2017 salary then jump to pay April salary without paying the February and March salaries,” he said.

The state NLC scribe, therefore, called on the workers to ignore any threat by the government and remain at home until otherwise directed by the union

Make our welfare and rights a priority, and we will suspend strike-Nasarawa workers

The NLC and TUC, has declared that they are ready to suspend the strike action embarked by the workers in Nasarawa state if the state government prioritise the welfare and rights of the
workers.
The information was contained in  a letter signed by by the General Secretary’s of NLC and TUC, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson and Barrister Musa Lawal and sent to the Nasarawa State Governor,Alhaji Tanko Almakura.


The statement read “It is our position that the issues that led to the strike are resolvable, should the government prioritise the welfare and rights of the workers to wage employment.”

“Please take notice sir, that no person acting individually
or otherwise, other than by virtue of the mandate of Nasarawa workers, held in trust through our joint centres acting in concert can hold out to you their ability to resolve
the issues.

“Any purported calling off of the strike action made to you is clearly without authority and mandate of either the Nasarawa workers or the Organised Labour which we represent.
“Workers in Nasarawa State have been directed not to heed the purported suspension of the strike action, until such a directive is made pursuant to an amicable resolution of the issues in contention for which the strike was called.

“We are however open to genuine dialogue session with a view to resolving the impasse,provided the government eschew any perceived ploy at divide and rule or intimidation and harassment
of committed leaders of the Labour Movement. We urge the government to utilize transparent channels of communication and reach out to all leaders of Organised Labour in the state.
“We hope that the dire situation of workers of the state will touch your Excellency, to activate the machinery for a quick resolution.”

We will vote out politicians opposed to increase in minimum wage- NLC President

The president of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba, has threatened labour would vote out public officers that are kicking against the payment of minimum wage.

While reacting to complaints over non-payments of local government workers’ salaries, by the President of National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Ibrahim Khaleel, he asked
the workers to obtain their voter’s card with a view to carrying out the threat issued to political office holders opposed to the minimum wage, as well as who contribute to non-payment of salaries across the states.

He stated “We must prepare to vote out governors or any political officer holder who is refusing to pay us salary. We must continue to lament. We have the power, so we must use it this time.“Workers, pensioners and their households who are in one way or the other suffering the inhumane treatment of non-payment of workers’ wages must unite and voted these politicians out of office in the next election.’
’
“Every member of the labour movement irrespective of the union must understand that it is only in unity that we can achieve our objective.

“Therefore, we all must in solidarity play our part in order to achieve success, so commitment which will of course bring us to working together is the key.
“And every leader no matter the union or association in the labour movement must consciously see, the welfare of its members as very essential in all we do.
“It is therefore important that anytime we have a need for national action, all affiliates must deem it sacrosanct to mobilise it members for such action.”

10 Billion NGN civil servants promotion arrears to be paid-FG

The federal government had declared readiness to pay N10billion promotion arrears of civil servants on its payroll.
This is contained in a statement by Samuel Olowookere, Deputy Director (Press), Ministry of Labour and Employment. Reports today.ng

The statement said this was outcome of a meeting attended by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige; the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udo Udoma; the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, and the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita.

The ministry explained that the development was in compliance with the directive by the government that outstanding allowances on promotion, 28 days relocation, repatriation, training, burial expenses and death benefits to public servants be paid.

The statement said “The meeting stated that the Federal Government, through the office of the Accountant General of the Federation, was already processing the sum of N10bn for the payment of promotion arrears with modalities for payment being worked out to make sure that wrong persons are not paid this first olive-waving step of the Federal Government.”
It stated that a sum of N14.6bn had earlier been disbursed in early 2017 to cater to the salary arrears arising from the shortfalls in the 2016 budget.

The ministry said government’s decision was anchored on a clear understanding that clearing the arrears formed part of the palliative measures being taken to cushion the harsh economic realities affecting the public servants.
It added that Ngige had been engaged in many meetings with the leadership of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) led by its President, Bobboi Kaigama and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) led by its President, Ayuba Wabba, in the last one week over the issue.
The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria had issued a 14-day strike notice, whose ultimatum ended on May 30, 2017, over the issue.

We shall mobilise to support sacked TVC staff-NAWOJ,RATTAWU,NUJ

The Nigeria Union of Journalists and the Radio, Television, Theatre and Art Workers Union of Nigeria have spoken against Friday’s sack of 145 staff of Television Continental and Radio Continental. Reports Today.ng

The unions, in interviews with the

News Agency of Nigeria on Saturday in Lagos, said due process was not followed in the exercise.

The unions said they would take this up with the management of the media organisations.

The Lagos NUJ Council Chairman, Deji Elumoye, told NAN that investigations had revealed that TVC had a lopsided remuneration system where a few expatriates and management staff earned more salaries than the entire workforce.

Elumoye said the sack was ill-timed.

According to him, the organisation was clocking 10 years and was supposed to be celebrating its anniversary.

He said: “We even have the case of an expatriate whose salary is more than half of the salaries of the entire workforce that has been sacked.

“I do not know why the company had that type of structure at the top, where an individual is earning more than what the 145 disengaged staff were earning.

“The sack came at a very wrong time when the media is going through a trying period and we believe the management did not get their priorities right.”

The NUJ council chairman said the method of disengagement did not comply with labour laws.

Elumoye explained that information available to the union showed that the staff were served letters after a long wait, without their severance packages.

He said: “We want to engage the management on why they were disengaged the staff without provision for their severance packages.

“It has been in the news for some time, the management ought to have worked on it and given them their cheques, compute their entitlements and also give it to them.

“To us, an injury to one is an injury to all and that is why we (the NUJ) will engage the management on why they should do this, especially when they are talking of their 10th anniversary.’’

Port Harcourt Refinery Sale: We shall embark on strike if...NUPENG

Dr Igwe Achese,the The President of NUPENG,has vowed the shutting down of the oil sector,if Oando Plc goes ahead to acquire the Port Harcourt Refining and Petrochemical Company.

Insisting that the agreement entered into by the government and Oando was unilateral, without the involvement of stakeholders and unacceptable.

He condemned the exclusion of the host community, workers, local government and state government, among others, from the agreement.


Achese stated, “We have continued to wonder why the sale of public assets like the Port Harcourt refinery is being done in secret in the way and manner they are doing it. Knowing that there are stakeholders in this sector, and these stakeholders are also taxpayers, you don’t just take any decision at will.

“Among all these stakeholders are the workers, who are the operators of these assets. You are mortgaging their future. The worse thing is that we are increasingly beginning to see that some of the policies and the way the policies are being thrown at us look like we are in an autocratic system of government, where the norms and principles of democracy do not matter.”

We will resist any fuel price hike- NUPENG

The Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers has criticised the proposed N5 petrol levy by the Senate, describing it as a huge joke.
Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, the South-West Chairman of NUPENG, said in Lagos on Saturday that the proposal was ill-timed and also smacked of insensitivity to the current economic hardships facing Nigerians.
He wondered how the nation’s Upper Chamber could think of another fuel price increase when Nigerians were “striving to
cope with the current harsh economic realities”.
“How can the Senate propose such a bill at this particular period when poor Nigerians can hardly feed themselves?
“The prices of foodstuffs have tripled in the market, while workers’ salary has not been increased,” Korodo said.
Sen. Kabiru Gaya (APC-Kano), the Chairman, Senate Committee on Works, had on June 1, presented a bill entitled, “National Roads Bill” to the House.

The bill recommends that Nigerians should pay N5 levy on every litre of imported petroleum products and that levy will form part of the proposed national roads fund.

It also recommends the deduction of 0.5 per cent on fares paid by passengers travelling on interstate roads to commercial mass transit operators as well as the return of toll gates on federal roads, among others.

Korodo said: “Just a year ago, the pump price of petrol was increased from N87 to N145 per litre and Nigerians accepted the increment because of the sincerity of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

“Any attempt to adjust the price of petrol under any guise will be resisted by the Organised Labour.”

56,000 NGN minimumwage,our patience is wearing out-NLC President

The request by the NLC for a new minimum wage from the federal government is gathering momentum. The Chairman of NLC speaks more on the issue,with a correspondent of the Vanguard Newspapers. Excerpts below.

As of today, how many states are still owing workers salaries and pension, and what is the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, doing about the situation?

In this challenging period of our economy, it is very unfortunate that workers and pensioners are the worst hit. However the situation couldn’t have been that bad if our political leaders especially state governors got their priorities right.

Our leaders here regard payment of salaries and pension as a waste but in other spheres payment of salaries is accorded top priority. Let me state here categorically that the Federal Government has been making efforts to assist the states on the payment of outstanding salaries and pensions owed workers. In the first tranche of bail-out given to  states by the Federal Government, more than 26 states benefitted, but the irony of it all is that the more the Federal Government gives bail-out to the states, the less you understand what the states do with the money.
Many of the states have been diverting the bail-out meant to pay outstanding salaries and pension to other things, and this is why we are in the present situation. If the state governors have not been diverting the bail-out, the issue of workers and pensioners being owed would have become a thing of the past, and this is why NLC has now insisted that before the Federal Government gives further bail-out to the states, the state governors must be made to account for how the previous bail-out they collected was utilized. There is a need to insist on transparency and accountability on this issue, otherwise most of the state governors would not use the bail-out for the purpose for which it was meant.
Recently, the report and the news was all over the place about how a state governor diverted 3 million dollars from a previous bail-out collected from the Federal Government to build a five-star hotel in Lagos. This is very unfortunate. There are many states that are still owing workers and pensioners but Kogi State is about the worst. The state government is owing workers between eight and 15 months salary arrears.
The state government has been hiding under a verification exercise to delete some workers names from the state payroll but these workers are not ghost workers. The so-called verification exercise was a sham, it was a ploy to reduce the state workforce but NLC is not taking it lightly with the state government. What is happening today in Kogi is a big threat to the survival of workers and pensioners.
I think it is better for our political elites to change their present way of treating Nigerian workers with levity, otherwise the consequences that will follow nobody can predict. Nigerian workers are being pushed to the wall, and as the saying goes, there is a limit to human endurance. Kogi is a peculiar state. I don’t know why workers and pensioners there are being treated like that. With the way things are going in that state, with the series of  social vices like kidnapping,  armed robbery among others being recorded almost on daily basis in the state, Kogi is gradually degenerating into what some people describe as a failed state.

In the North Central, Benue is another bad case among states owing salaries and pension. Benue  is  documented by the ICPC as being among the states that diverted the bail-out meant to pay workers salaries. For now, about 10 states are not paying workers and pensioners as and when due. Bayelsa is also on the list of debtor-states. The state is owing pensioners, teachers and civil servants.
In the case of Osun, the state has been paying workers on the basis of percentage and that has also brought pains on workers, the same thing Oyo State is doing. Ondo State also has accumulated salaries that have not been paid. But we also have examples of some states that are doing extremely very well and are workers-friendly.

For example, Jigawa is not owing workers; in fact, the state has not collected any bail-out from the Federal Government. The state pays salary and pension as and when due, and if you retire today, you get your gratuity without delay. So you can see that it is a matter of state governors giving priority to what they are doing. It is sad and very unfortunate that most of these state governors have little or no regard for workers’ interests – most of them regard payment of salaries and pension as a waste, and yet they live opulent lifestyle while feeding fat on the sweat of  workers. We must commend those states that pay workers as and when due while we will not relent in defending the rights and interests of Nigerian workers.
You wonder what is happening when states that are receiving less monthly allocation are meeting up with their obligations to workers like in the case of Jigawa and at the same time states that are receiving high allocations like an oil producing state like Bayelsa is owing workers and can’t meet up its obligations to civil servants – this is why I said earlier that it is a matter of state governors getting their priorities right. In order to save cost, and made more funds available to enable state governments meet up with some obligations like payment of workers salaries and pension, some people have canvassed the scrapping of security vote which runs into billions of naira and collected monthly by state governors. What do you think? Security vote should be abolished.

What do these governors do with billions of naira they collect monthly as security vote? Moreso the money is not even accounted for, security vote negate principles of transparency. Nothing is transparent about security vote and this promotes corruption, therefore it should be abolished. If a state is not at war, why should a governor collect N1 billion monthly as a security vote which is not even accounted for? This is nothing but corruption – security vote is another avenue for looting.

Talking about the casualty arising from non-payment of salaries and pension, can you give us the number of workers and pensioners that have died as a result of being owed by state governments?

It is difficult to give an exact figure because we don’t have a reliable data bank to give exact figure, but definitely many workers and pensioners have lost their lives as a result of being owed.

Even at verification centres set up by some state governments, several workers and pensioners have lost their lives while waiting on the queue to be verified. Even at a time in Kaduna, several workers lost their lives when there was a bomb explosion near one of the centres but where some of these tragedies occurred including that of Kaduna, NLC has insisted that the families of the workers that lost their lives must be compensated.

These workers and pensioners that have lost their lives as a result of unpaid salaries and benefits, we will continue to fight for their interests until their families are compensated. Let me also say this, the blood of these workers are on the head of the state governors and political leaders who failed to do the needful.


The Federal Government has promised to release another tranche of N500 billion as bail-out to assist states to clear outstanding workers salaries and pensioners benefits, but it was learnt that the release is being put on the hold as a result of the NLC insistence that state governors must be made to render account of how they spent the first bail-out given to them, how far is this true?


Yes, we insisted that the state governors should give account of how they use the first bail-out. What is baffling to us is that the more you give money to these governors, the more you don’t understand what they do with this money. We have found out from both EFCC and ICPC reports that some state governors actually diverted the bail-out. This is not only unpatriotic but very shameful. Some of them put the bail-out they collected in fixed deposits where they now collect huge interests, while workers continue to wallow in hunger. Some of them awarded bogus contracts that don’t have meaning or relevance to the life of citizens.
This is why we insisted that Federal Government should not release another bail-out without accountability being followed. Those governors that had earlier received the first bail-out should be made to account for how they utilized it before they are given another one. What the NLC is after is transparency and accountability, and good governance. We believe that both the high and the lowly placed in the society must be subjected to accountability – without accountability and due process, this country can’t witness any meaningful development and growth.



Amid economic recession, and even the situation where several states are owing workers, NLC has demanded N56,000 minimum wage. How realistic is this in view of the present challenges?

I’ve told you earlier that issue of payment of salaries and pension as and when due is not only about availability of funds, it is about states getting their priorities right. Secondly, the recession issue is not an excuse not to increase minimum wage. All over the world, economies bubble and also got burst. Everything is about planning and having foresight, and this is what our leaders lack. Visionary leaders are few in this clime.


In 2011, we signed a minimum wage of N18,000, but it was mutually agreed that after a period of five years there would be a review. If you also look at the present economic challenges, inflation is soaring with the attendant results – some of these include high cost of goods and services, what all these mean is that N18,000 is no longer realistic.

In 2011, N18,000 was equivalent to 119 dollars, but today the value of N18,000 is less than 46 dollars. So on the basis of fact and on the basis of economic reality, it is very clear that N18,000 is no longer realistic to take care of a worker and his family. This is the fact we are putting on the table, and it can’t be controverted.


Nigerian workers are passing through a very difficult period. You are also aware that during the same period, th Federal Government increased the price of fuel, a commodity that determines the price of nearly every other commodity in Nigeria. Fuel price was increased from N86 to N145. Electricity tariff was also increased by more than 50 percent and workers salary has remained on the same spot, so how do you expect worker to cope with these challenges?

Nobody can controvert the fact that workers have even been pushed to the wall. They can’t pay their bills, they can’t maintain their families. Most of their children can’t go to school. The purchasing power of a Nigerian worker today has been virtually reduced to zero. Even how do you want to address the problem of corruption if workers are not

All over the world, the empirical data that is being used to address the issues of salaries are inflation, cost of living index, purchasing power parity and these are some of the things the NLC take into consideration before demanding wage increase. We have even been very moderate to demand N56,000 minimum wage considering the present economic challenges. We made this demand since May last year but up till now we are still waiting for the Federal Government to do the needful. Nigerian workers are patient but they are being pushed to the wall.


What has been the response of the Federal Government to the wage increment demand?

The Federal Government has agreed in principle. A technical committee to work out the detail has been set up, and the NLC participated fully. The report of that committee has been transmitted to the Presidency, and we are expecting that the Federal Executive Council should immediately approve the recommendations of the committee. The ball is in the court of the Federal Government.

Some people have expressed concern that the crisis in NLC with the factionalisation of the apex labour body might hamper negotiations with the Federal Government over the wage increment. What’s your view? 

We don’t have factions in NLC. NLC is one united body. Those people you are even referring to have openly stated that they are not a faction of the NLC. Convention 144 of the International Labour Organisation, ILO, which Nigeria has ratified, explicitly states that the most representative labour centre would negotiate on behalf of the Nigerian workers, and today, the  NLC is the most representative labour centre in the country – there is no dispute or controversy about that.

That’s why the NLC and TUC have come together to negotiate on behalf of the Nigerian workers. Nigerian workers know their true leaders. It is only a section of the media those people you refer to are using to propagate their propaganda. NLC is one, and we will continue to pursue and protect the interests of Nigerian workers. All through history, you see one group or the other trying to undermine the interests of the larger and the more acceptable group, but what is usually the end of those who do such, they get consigned into the dustbin of history.

All through history again, there is nothing workers have got on a platter of gold, it has always been through struggle that our demands are met. But we will not relent until we get what we want for Nigerian workers. Since 1889 when we started canvassing for 8 hours working day per week up till now, it has always been struggle and nothing but struggle. No employer will willingly increase your salary unless you demand for it. We will continue to provide dynamic leadership for Nigerian workers, but workers should not expect that we will get these things on a platter of gold. Go through history, labour always struggles to improve workers condition of service.

Do not increase fuel price, TUC warns Senate

The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has been warned by the Trade Union Congress, TUC,against plans to increase the pump price of petroleum products in the country.

It said in a statement on Friday, that the TUC was opposed to the decision bring in ‘assorted charges and surcharges’ to fund a proposed National Roads Funds.

The TUC also warned that the organized Labour would resist any attempt to toy with the fuel pump price stressing that its patience had been stretched to its limit.
They also said that the TUC was also opposed to the plans to sell the nation’s stake in some oil and gas assets.

The Labour leaders lamented that lawmakers and political officer holders had become rather insensitive to the plight of the suffering Nigerian citizenry.

The statement read in part “The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria wishes to warn the Senate against further plans to impoverish Nigerians with the recent move to hike the prices of fuel, diesel, and even factor in other assorted charges and surcharges ‘to fund the Proposed National Roads Fund’.

“The Congress is also against the proposed sale or reduction of the nation’s stakes in some oil and gas assets. We are surprised that Nigerian lawmakers and other political office holders have become numb to our pains, agonies, and miseries. This is painful.”

“Well, the Congress hereby warns and calls on the presidency and well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on the Senate and everyone behind the ungodly moves to drop them. They will be resisted. Our patience is over-stretched and we would be able to contain it anymore. A word is enough for the wise.”

It will be recalled that fuel was increased to 145 NGN per litre and the effect on Nigerians are still being felt

NLC,Nasarawa Chapter, Suspends Chairman Again

For the second time,the NLC, Nasarawa State Chapter, has impeached its Chairman, Abdullahi Adeka.
A statement signed by Ahmed Naibi, the Secretary, said that Adeka was removed for announcing the suspension of the strike, immediately after his reinstatement.

It said that the “surprising” action violated the resolutions reached at the NLC headquarters as a condition for his reinstatement. “In the meeting held at our national secretariat in Abuja on May 23, we all agreed that Adeka must sustain the strike. That was a condition for his reinstatement.

“We also agreed that his mother union, the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, and all other affiliates of the NLC, must join the strike to maximise its effect. “But, instead of sustaining and widening the strike, Adeka announced its suspension, a day after he was reinstated,” the statement said. '
The statement declared that Adeka, by that action, had demonstrated that he was not a trustworthy leader. “We have resolved that he stands impeached; Bala Umaru, his deputy, is now the substantive Chairman of NLC in Nasarawa State,” the statement declared.

It said that the strike action would continue and advised workers to await further directive from the new leadership. Some executive council members, who spoke accused Adeka of “clearly taking sides with the government”, with many describing his action as “shocking”. Adeka had been suspended from office on May 21, when he suddenly declared an end to the strike without due consultation.
He was reinstated on May 23, after the headquarters intervened, but went on air on May 24, to announce the end of the strike without consulting with other members of the executive council. The workers have been on strike since May 12, over the non payment of their salaries.

Contributory Pension Scheme: Include law enforcement agencies

The Nigeria Labour Congress on Thursday in Abuja condemned the pending bill to exempt military and law enforcement agencies from the National Contributory Pension Scheme.
Ayuba Wabba, NLC President, said this when he led a delegation to the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees to know their achievements and challenges, in continuation of his “Meet the affiliate Tour”.

According to him, we condemn in very strong terms the current bill to remove all our military and other law enforcement agencies from the contributory pension scheme. Reports today.ng

He added that this would lead to the entire collapse of the pension scheme, adding that because presently even with the core civil service, we have a liability of over N6 billion.
Wabba said: “This was a figure that was harmonised between the Senate, House of Representative, Minister of Finance, organised Labour and then the Minister of Budget and Planning.

“The liability as of today of earn allowance of workers and pensioners including deductions stood at over 600 billion, so it is wrong if this bill is allowed to pass through.”

Wabba said that if the military and the law enforcement agencies were removed from the contributory pension it would allow the resources to come from the central coffers.
He noted that if this was done, it was obvious that the entire contributory pension scheme would then collapse.
The NLC President, however, said that people assume that over 73 per cent of the entire pension funds which stood at over 6 trillion was already being borrowed through Federal Government Bond and Treasury Bills.
He said that with the new development if the pending bill was allowed to go through there would be a major shock in the economy, therefore, the entire pension contributory scheme would surely collapse.
According to him, it will be in the interest of the entire workers if the House of Representatives take honourable look at the issue.



Wabba said: “I do not think that they know the implication, but we have studied it because presently the pension arrangement is that 60 per cent of the contributions are from the private sector employees, only 40 per cent are from the Federal Government or public employees.
“Presently only 10 states had keyed into the contributory pension scheme that are actually funding, therefore, you can see the very precarious situation that is in place.
“This bill certainly at this point in time is not desirable and organised labour has called for withdrawal of this bill, because it will collapse the entire contributory pension system.”
Wabba, however, commended the House of Representatives for the proposed bill for the regular review of the minimum wage at least every five years.

He noted that the review of the minimum every five years was actually in the collective bargaining system when the minimum wage was signed into law in 2011.
He added that it was mutually agreed that after every five years there should be a review but this was not captured in the law.
He said: “We want to commend the progressive stand of the house in making this provision in the law, because this is also what applied in many economics.”
Wabba while commending NULGE members for their support, called for greater synergy.

He said that the NLC would put up strategies in handing the challenges faced by the union.
The labour leader added that NLC would organised quarterly activities to strengthen its affiliates.
Speaking, Ibrahim Khaleed, NULGE President said that the union was facing a lot of challenges, which includes the refusal of Akwa Ibom state government to pay check up dues.
Khaleed noted that others are the non-payment of local government workers’ salaries, poor relationships of leaders, lack of capacity building, non-implementation of N18,000 minimum wage by Zamfara State Government.

Khalled said: “I want to say that the Zamfara state government still pays N6,000 as the minimum wage for its workers, which does not suit the present day realities.”

Bill to review minimum wage passes second reading

A bill  to review the minimum wage act has been sponsored by Femi Gbajabiamila,the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives.The bill seeks a compulsory review of the National Minimum Wage every five years. The proposal was contained in a bill to amend the National Minimum Wage Act, 2004, which passed second reading on the floor of the House in Abuja.

When passed, it sets in motion a process for government and organised labour to commence discussions on review of wages every five years.

According to the lawmaker the  bill would address the frequent protests over poor wages and the unwillingness of employers, particularly the government, to raise wages.

He recalled the acrimonious relationship between workers and government years back before the current minimum wage of N18,000 was agreed upon between labour and the authorities.
The bill was supported by Hon Tobi Okechukwu,who said that “This bill is talking about certainty in wage reviews It means that workers will no longer have to protest over wages when they know that there is a periodic review backed by law.”
The bill passed second reading in a unanimous voice vote.

Osun Doctors threaten strike

Doctors under the aegis of the Nigerian Medical Association in Osun State on Thursday staged a protest to press home their demand for the stoppage of payment of half salaries to doctors by the state government. Reports today.ng
Some of the protesting doctors, who were dressed in lab coats and branded shirts, marched from LAUTECH Teach
ing Hospital, Osogbo to Olaiya and some of the major streets in the state capital.
Singing anti-government songs as they marched through the streets, the doctors also said that there were no drugs and equipment in state government-owned hospitals despite the claims of the state that it had spent N10bn to improve the sector.
The Chairman of the NMA in the state, Dr. Tokunbo Olajumoke, who addressed journalists during the protest, blamed lack of equipment and drugs for the death of Senator Isiaka Adeleke, who died on April 23.
Olajumoke said Adeleke was not taken to the government hospital very close to his residence because he knew the hospital lacked drugs and equipment to handle emergency cases.

He said the doctors might consider the option of strike if the protest failed to achieve the desired result.
The NMA chairman said despite that the state government was paying doctors half salaries, the government was deducting full tax from their “amputated salaries.”
He said, “We went on strike because of half salaries and after about eight months we resumed. They promised to pay us but they did not. Some other health care practitioners went on strike for about six months and the government paid them. Why should our own be different?
“They have been paying us half salaries since July 2015; it is almost two years now but doctors cannot render half treatment to patients. Half salaries should stop, it is illegal!”