The Nation Newspaper

Category: Labour

  • NECA advises firms to negotiate with banks over charges

    NECA advises firms to negotiate with banks over charges

    The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has advised firms to negotiate current account maintenance fees with their  banks.

    NECA expressed concern about the likelihood of some organised businesses losing revenue to commercial banks through what it called “unnegotiated” current account maintenance fee, in contravention of the directive of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on maintenance fee.

    According to NECA, the CBN had released a Revised Guide to Bank Charges on March 27, 2013 in which it expressed resolve to gradually phase out Commission on Turnover (COT) until it achieves a zero charge this year.

    However, NECA explained that in a sudden twist to the policy thrust, the CBN granted a negotiable current account maintenance fee not exceeding N1 to the banks on January 29, this year

    Speaking in Lagos, the NECA Director-General, Mr. Olusegun Oshinowo said: “We have noted that many companies are yet to explore the window of negotiating the current account maintenance fee with their banks. The maximum rate of N1 is the ceiling and it is expected that clients would negotiate with their banks acceptable rates below the ceiling.”

    He urged companies to approach their banks and insist on negotiating the rate downward from one naira (N1), adding that, “this is in line with the guideline of the CBN.”

  • NDE to tackle joblessness

    NDE to tackle joblessness

    The Acting Director-General , National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Kunle Obayan, has said steps are being taken to harmonise skills-training centres under the supervision of the NDE to give skill acquisition a direction and enforce of standards.

    At a forum last week, Obayan said the directorate was embarking upon the registration of unemployed persons as well as keying into the government programmes on social protection of vulnerable people.

    He said: “There are discussions under the auspices of the Ministry of Labour and Employment to bring in all skill centres in the country that are owned by government agencies. There is no need for proliferation of the centres because that does not help the overall reduction of unemployment in the country.“

    Obayan said the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, had spoken about putting up a memo to that effect so that it is approved that skill centres come under the supervision of the NDE. He said this would enable the NDE schedule trainings in areas skill centres are located.

    He added that even though this will still not be enough until the NDE can have at least one centre in every local government area.

    “When unemployed persons come to NDE, we direct them to go to the Job Centre where we run checks on the type of unemployment individuals have, determine the barriers to employment and then recommend what they need to do to overcome unemployment challenge,” he said.

    He noted that the NDE now has a set of computers that analyse curriculum vitae, do a carrier matching and profile unemployed persons for a job. It will also do analysis on the skill gap between that job that is most suitable for the individual and then determine a training that is most appropriate for such individual.

    “We know that a jobless person that is in the job market does not want a training that will last long. So, we have short-term training that is a quick fix. In a case that some people fall into the unemployable category, hope is not lost for such persons, as such people could then be considered for conditional cash transfer,” he added.

    Obayan said the NDE had a role to play in the implementation of the conditional cash transfer programme of the Muhammadu Buhari administration. He said the job centre would operate alongside traditional training centres.

    Despite the existence of 74 training centres, the NDE boss said they are not enough considering the number of the unemployed persons in the country, even as he said that the NDE currently has desk officers in each local government area in the country in its bid to extend training to the grassroots.

  • Civil society group advises Usani on Niger/Delta’s development

    The Niger Delta Affairs Minister, Pastor Uguru Usani, has been urged to pursue the comprehensive implementation of the Niger Delta master plan for the area  to experience meaningful and deserved development.

    The Director of the Development and Leadership Institute, Mr. Olaoshebikan Clement, said this at a forum in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

    He said this could be realised if the leadership in the region, led by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, pursued the resolution of several policy issues that have remained unresolved in the region.

    He said: “As a matter of urgency, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani, should begin the process of achieving real development in the Niger Delta by focusing on resolving the implementation of the four key policy issues, which have for a long time remained a sore thumb in the region.”

    Clement said with the election of the President Muhammadu Buhari  and his change mantra, expectations are high in the region. “Leadership of the ministry must therefore, move away from the failure of the past and sincerely focus on implementation rather than the formulation of new policies,” he said.

  • TUC kicks against deployment of N5.3tr pension fund to infratsructure

    TUC kicks against deployment of N5.3tr pension fund to infratsructure

    The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has kicked against calls by some National Assembly members to spend part of the N5.3 trillion pension funds on infrastructure.

    A statement by its President, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama, explained that the Congress has made its position on the vexed issue very clear, adding that the pension scheme was informed by the need to tackle poverty and difficulties faced by retirees, and not to raise money for the provision of infrastructure or investment at the instance of the rich.

    “We also use this opportunity to reiterate that the 25 per cent of total contribution paid at first instance to workers on retirement is too small. Anything less than 50 per cent defeats the purpose of the scheme. As it stands today, many states claim inability to pay the national minimum wage of N18, 000, a sum that is itself barely enough to take the workers home talk less of paying the bills for his family’s shelter, upkeep and development,” Kaigama said.

    He argued that infrastructural development remained the duty of the government, adding that it is a key driver and a critical enabler of sustainable growth all over the world. According to him, infrastructure provides a unique avenue for the public and private sectors of the economy to thrive. It is also critical in attracting foreign investors.

    Kaigama said rather than appropriating the monies saved from workers’ contributions to perform the government’s responsibility of fixing roads, providing electricity and other social infrastructure, the funds should be utilised for projects that are of direct benefit to the retirees and other workers, such as fixing housing deficit. He said this must be done with rules for proper accountability in place.

    PenCom Director-General Mrs. Chinelo Anohu-Amazu has said the fund is consistently invested by Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) strictly as prescribed by the law. She said the money was also not domiciled at the National Pension Commission (PenComs) account but at Pension Fund Custodians (PFCs) as approved by the Pensions Act.

    These clarifications were made in Lagos during an interactive session with reporters. She regretted the misleading information by some persons on the status of the fund, saying that PFAs had played by the rule, and that no fraud with respect to management of the fund has been recorded.

    She added that the fund is protected arguing that there is no way it could be mismanaged or misappropriated under any guise. “We play by the rule and any PFA that invests outside the guideline will lose its operating license,” she said. She added that effort is being made to bring more Nigerians into the scheme through the Micro Pension Scheme now in the offing.

    According to Anohu-Amazu, the regulator has established a special function unit to drive the micro pension plan, which targets the low income earners as well as individuals. She said the commission has begun the sensitisation of service providers as well as the targeted workers in the informal sector with a view to creating the enabling environment to bring more people into the scheme.

    Anohu-Amazu noted that it would ensure that robust technological platform is put in place to drive the initiative, adding that special mobile phone applications that had been successfully implemented in some jurisdictions for financial transactions including provision of pension services to the self-employed and informal sector workers could be adopted to prop the plan.

    “It is evident that a robust technological platform that would support the provision of customer services is necessary to effectively and efficiently register, collect contributions, provide Retirement Savings Account support, pay benefits and provide financial advisory services to this class of workers.

    “Coincidently, special mobile phone applications had been successfully implemented in some jurisdictions for financial transactions including provision of pension services to the self-employed and informal sector workers. The success stories of these applications drive the confidence that similar platform can be designed and implemented in Nigeria,” she said.

    The PenCom chief attributed the growth in the funds to the security fence built to protect it from being diverted into personal use by managers of the funds.

    She said the commission had not and would not prevent the investing of pension assets in infrastructural development and other sectors, but that such investments must abide by the guidelines in the Pension Reform Act 2014.

  • NITEL/MTEL to employ 10,000

    The Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) and its mobile subsidiary (MTEL), are to employ 10, 000 Nigerians, the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Communications, has been informed.

    The new owners of the once state-owned telecommunications giant, NATCOM, which is a consortium of seven local and foreign companies, made the disclosure at an investigative public hearing by the committee in Abuja.

    NATCOM Chairman, Mr. Olatunde Ayeni, told the House Committee that having met all requirements and due diligence in the process leading to the acquisition of NITEL and MTEL, the company has put in place a programme of resuscitating the two ailing telecoms companies.

    According to Ayeni, efforts were ongoing at overhauling the entire cable system while 10, 000 Nigerians would be employed to set the companies on the part of competition with other players in the market.

  • NECA disagrees with Ngige on retrenchment

    NECA disagrees with Ngige on retrenchment

    The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has disagreed with  the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, that private sector employers, especially the oil and gas companies, should not sack workers  and falling oil prices.

    Speaking in Lagos, NECA Director-General Mr. Olusegun Oshinowo said: “We have noted the recent meetings of the minister with employers’ representatives in some sectors of the economy and his directive not to retrench. The minister seems not to have shown an understanding of the fundamentals of managing a business in an economy bedevilled by a drastic fall in the price of crude oil, scarcity of foreign exchange and gross erosion of purchasing power.

    “The truth is that retrenchment is not a palatable option for any business. No employer will take pleasure in declaring redundant employees, which it has invested in developing over the years.”

    Speaking further, he said job security cannot be decreed by ministerial pronouncements, but can only be encouraged and promoted through strong macro- economic fundamentals and an enabling environment. He said it is part of the inalienable right of an employer to determine the optimal staff level it will need to sustain its operations.

    “Where an employer has found it necessary to carry out retrenchments, it would respect the laws of the land and laid down procedures for redundancy. Employers’ expectation from the Minister of Labour and Employment is that he will work hand in hand with other government ministries in the establishment of the desired enabling environment that will ensure business sustainability, competitiveness and job creation,” Oshinowo said.

    The NECA chief pointed out that the Ministry of Labour and Employment runs on the principle of tri-partism, which entails regular interactions with trade unions as represented by Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), the employer as represented by NECA, and government as represented by the Federal Ministry of Labour, and respect for their rights and interests on issues that relate to labour and industrial relations.

    Mr. Oshinowo particularly deplored a situation where the Minister will invite a key constituent for an important meeting and keep the party waiting endlessly.

    He said: “This has not been the practice of the Federal Ministry of Labour. We appealed to the minister to show respect to the social partners by being timely and punctual at meetings which he has called.”

    In a related development, the minister met with the Nigeria Union of Petroleum, Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) in Abuja,  to get an update on the challenges in the oil and gas sector.

    At the meeting, Ngige said: “The oil sector is the backbone of the economy and as long as we are in charge of labour issues in this country, we will do all we can to avoid crises in the sector. We want to assure you that workers in the oil sector will be protected and nobody or company can bribe when it concerns workers.”

    PENGASSAN President, Mr. Johnson Olabode, called for urgent passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) in the National Assembly, noting that it would address most of the challenges in the oil and gas sector. He noted that there were a lot of issues affecting workers that the ministry needed to address urgently.

    NUPENG President, Mr. Achese Igwe, said some of the challenges faced by members of the union included job outsourcing to expatriates, downsizing, restructuring, re-engineering, among others.

    He said workers in the sector had been enslaved for a long time by the foreign employers. “I am sure that they have not been able to tell you that there are permanent jobs that are outsourced as contract staff job and those workers are operators and engineers, among other professions,” he said.

  • TUC urges tricyclists to maintain standard

    TUC urges tricyclists to maintain standard

    The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has urged Tricycle Owners Association of Nigeria (TOAN) to ensure they comply with high standard of performance and adhere to professional practices in their daily operations.

    The President of TUC, Mr. Bobboi Kaigama, stated this in Abuja recently while addressing the inaugural national meeting of the association.

    He said: “Our members have respect for the laws of this country. We ensure that our members operate within the ambit of the law and encourage absolute respect for laid down rules and regulations.”

    Kaigama urged members of the association to always embrace social dialogue in the promotion of the welfare and effective operations of members, saying that he has confidence in the new leadership.

    He said: “The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria which you are affiliated to is a very responsible and respected association. We are respected because we know that the era of table banging is over; you now have to use your brain to marshal your point and sell the idea of the protection of your workers. My little interaction with your president and other executive has proven to me that we are not wrong to accept you into our fold”.

    He added that as the newest affiliate of the TUC, TOAN members will enjoy maximum protection as whatever touches them touches TUC.

    In his remarks, the Chairman of Abuja chapter of TUC, Comrade Musa Aliyu tasked members to put the interest of the association above individual interest in choosing their executives.

    “You must defend your registration and guide it jealously. Let your election be a family affair. If you don’t get a position in the union wait for another time. Do away with I must get it attitude and support whoever the members of the association elected,” Aliyu advised.

    In his address, the first National President of TOAN, Comrade Augustine Apeh, praised the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment for finding the association worthy of registration by the Registrar of Trade Union.

    He pledged the association’s commitment to promoting solidarity, peace, equity, justice and poverty eradication among members and Nigerians at large.

  • ‘MSMEs can create jobs, wealth’

    Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) can propel the growth of the nation’s economy through jobs and wealth creation to alleviate  poverty, the Director-General, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Mr. Bature Umar Masari, has said.

    Bature, who was represented by Monday Ewans, stated this at the annual general meeting (AGM) of the Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME) in Lagos. He said SMEDAN policy priorities are to raise a broad-based awareness and appreciation for entrepreneurship, enable a regulatory environment that will support the sector and improve financial support for SMEs.

    The outgoing president and chairman of NASME, Alhaji Garba Ibrahim, urged incoming council executive to address the challenges facing the sector, among which is inadequate power supply.

  • Construction workers seek more pay

    The National Union of Civil Engineering Construction, Furniture and Wood Workers (NUCECFWW) has demanded the review of its members salaries nationwide.

    Speaking to newsmen in Lagos during the week, its National President, Comrade Amaechi Asugwuni, said its members in the sector were facing economic hardship that necessitated the demand for salary review to cushion the hardship and also create industrial harmony in the sector.

    Asugwuni said it was the responsibility of the Federation of Construction Industry (FoCI) as the employers’ regulatory body to call for salary review, adding that in accordance with the collective bargaining procedure, the salary review was due in December last year as the last review was in 2013. He said the employers’ body had failed to respect or honour the procedure.

    The union chief said FOCI being the employers’ body was deliberately delaying the review of the salary in spite of several negotiations between it and the union’s leadership.

    He emphasised that the employers must be in line and guided by global best practice in industrial relations, quality of working conditions and regulations.

    Asugwuni said the union is acting in accordance with rules of the National Joint Industrial Council (NJIC) agreement over negotiating a review of workers salary every two years.

    He said the workers have been supportive and tolerant of the employers’ action, even when they embark on massive retrenchment in the sector which they blamed on the present economic downturn.

    Asuguni added that employers have continued to sack workers as a result of the dwindling fortune of the economy as one person now does the job of three persons adding that the only way to compensate workers for excess job is to increase their salaries.

    He said the union has begun nationwide interactive consultation and mobilisation of  members to map out action plans on the way forward for the union, stressing that the union would not hesitate to embark on a nationwide industrial action to compel FOCI to implement the salary review.

  • ITF prepares trainees for global employment

    ITF prepares trainees for global employment

    The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) is preparing graduates of the Fund for the global job market, its Director-General, Mrs. Juliet Chukka-Onaeko, has said.

    She said the agency’s decision to send trainees home after the successful completion of their examinations was to allow for more students/trainees to be admitted and trained in technical/vocational skills.

    Mrs Chukka-Onaeko said trainees sponsored by ITF in collaboration with the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) and other organisations would soon get international certifications. She stressed that the ITF was already working on getting an international certification programme for its trainees to be able to work anywhere in the world.

    The ITF chief said the Fund was working with established players in various sectors such as agriculture, oil and gas, construction and automobile maintenance in order to train and empower more youths.

    She said: “ITF’s training programme has been helping players and operators in the various economic sectors and industries to raise new breeds of excellently skilled youths to work for them instead of relying on expatriates.

    “The ITF has been working on certifications for our trainees so that they can work anywhere in the world. We have, therefore, been training our students not only on skilled manpower, but alongside good work ethics, good customer care, and also entrepreneurial skills.”