The Nation Newspaper

Category: Labour

  • Union seeks implementation of workers-friendly policies

    The Leadership of Senior Staff Association of Communications Transport and CorporaFtion (SSACTAC) has urged federal and state governments to ensure the effective implementation of the government formulated policies geared towards improving the welfare and living conditions of the workers.

    Speaking to reporters in Abuja, the union’s National President, Comrade Mohammad Yunusa, said the government’s commitment to implementation of programmes would not only better the living conditions of the workers but all Nigerians.

    Yunusa said government has enormous goodwill from the Nigerian workers to achieve positive change for the betterment of the people.

    He also urged the government to reactivate the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) for the training of young Nigerians in industrial entrepreneurship.

    The union’s boss said the training of the young Nigerians would boost the industrial sector of the nation’s economy, stressing that training is key to developing the right attitudes in the young Nigerians’ entrepreneurships.

    He added that the union is totally in support of the war against corruption and other societal ills currently being carried out by the government.

    He said government officials must make things happen by embarking on the right actions, create a system to expand the nation’s economy, stressing that the government invest upgrade industrial and commercial centres to international standards to justify the country’s role as a hub for commerce and industry in the West African sub-region.

    The union’s boss said its leadership would continue to give priority attention to the welfare of its members through meaningful dialogue with government officials at all levels.

  • Labour seeks effective implementation of budget

    Labour seeks effective implementation of budget

    Organised labour has praised the Federal Government for the N6.08 trillion 2016 budget announced on Tuesday. But it stressed the need for the budget’s implementation to the benefit of all Nigerians.

    Commenting on the budget,  the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) lauded the planned recruitment of 500,000 unemployed graduates and holders of National Certificate of Education (NCE) as teachers to curb the escalating rate of unemployment.

    In a statement signed by the Secretary-General, ASCSN, Comrade Bashir  Lawal, said: “We also commend Mr President for his decision to ensure that all the Federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) are captured and brought under the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) because this will not only reduce the burden of manual preparation of payrolls, but also curb cases of sharp practices in the system.”

    While praising the government for its resolve to compile the list of the poorest in order to implement its cash transfer programme, the union stressed the need for the policy to be transparent and inclusive without discrimination.

    ”We must equally express joy in the decision of Government to make good its promise to provide a meal per day for primary school pupils,” the union said.

    The ASCSN, however, frowned at the decision of the government that fuel subsidy would not be removed for now because the impression had been created that it might be removed later more-so that no provision was made for fuel subsidy in the budget estimate.

    Also, the National President  Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Comrade Bobboi Kaigama, praised the Federal Government for the N6.08 trillion 2016 budget. He however expressed concerned on the implementation of the budget.

    “However , we are worried that our challenge as a country as regards national budget is not how to propose, draft or present a good budget but its implementation. We are also worried that about N1.8 trillion of the budget will be borrowed to fund the budget.

    “The decision to recruit 500,000 unemployed graduates and  National Certificate of Education (NCE) holders as teachers to curb the escalating rate of unemployment and to ensure that all the Federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) are captured and brought under the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) are laudable ideas.

    He said the move would not only reduce the burden of manual preparation of payrolls,  but would also curb cases of sharp practices in the system and will also help to compile the list of the less-privileged in order to implement better transfer programme.

    “We urge that the policy be made transparent and inclusive without discrimination.

    “Additionally, we are still not comfortable with the decision  of government on subsidy. The Congress, therefore, demand for a stakeholders’ meeting which include labour to discuss the subsidy issue and why it has become impossible for us to refine and purchase fuel for  as low as N50 per litre. The price of crude oil in the international market had dropped drastically. This should have a direct effect on domestic consumption of the product,” he said.

    He said the proposed deficit financing  at N2.22 trillion was high, adding that this could be reduced by the recovery of stolen funds.

    “We therefore support the government to use looted funds for the benefit of Nigerians,” he said.

     

  • ‘BPE paid N604b to ex-workers of privatised enterprises’

    ‘BPE paid N604b to ex-workers of privatised enterprises’

    The Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) Director-General, Mr. Benjamin Dikki,   says so far over N604 billion has been paid as entitlements to staff of privatised enterprises in line with the Federal Government-approved labour policy in August 2002.

    He made this known while receiving the Crown of Workers’ Prospect of the Year award by the Labour Writers’ Association of Nigeria (LAWAN) in Alausa, Lagos.

    He said: “Difficult as the mobilisation and integration of stakeholders in the privatisation programme is, especially where critical decisions of right-sizing staff of enterprises to be privatised are involved, the Federal Government has through the Labour Policy Framework (LPF) assumed the responsibility of paying staff liabilities (except where the sales purchase agreement dictates otherwise­). Thus, over N604billion has so far been paid as entitlements to staff of privatised enterprises.”

    He said the reform and privatisation were the best options to grow the economy.

    “The reforms of the telecommunications sector are shining examples. This sector now contributes more than 20 per cent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Products (GDP), and has created millions of jobs. It has equally grown from about 450, 000 lines in 2001 to 151,018,624 lines as at August 2015 with teledensity of 107.87, in recent report releases by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).”

    Acknowledging the role of the media on information dissemination, the director-general urged labour writers, as a member of the fourth estate of the realm, to partner the BPE as it did during the privatisation and reforms era.

    Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomole, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Patrick Obayagbon, urged governors to pay the N18, 000 minimum wage.

    He wondered why some governors were not effecting the payment of the wage, having agreed with labour organisations and stakeholders to do so.

    Earlier, Trade Union Congress (TUC) former President-General, Comrade Peter Esele, urged governors to cut costs.

    He further noted that all state governors have security votes “that are not accounted for” and urged the governors to “sew their coat, not according to their size, but according to their cloth”.

    He said David Cameron of the United Kingdom does not have a private jet, alleging that majority of the governors fly in private aircraft.

    According to him, while the last negotiations were on-going, some states made submissions based on what they could pay as minimum wage  above the N18, 000, adding that it was too late to deceive the  workers.

    He said: “Abia State’s submission was N42, 000; Nasarawa even went above N18, 000. All these states made submissions based on what they could pay and the majority of them came up with figures higher than N18, 000.”

  • ‘Employers, workers join employees compensation scheme

    ‘Employers, workers join employees compensation scheme

    The Managing Director Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Umar Munir Abubakar has said about 33,900 employers and seven million employees have so far joined the Employees Compensation Scheme.

    Abubakar made this known at the NSITF-Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) Safe Workplace Intervention Project (SWIP) in Port Harcourt, the River State capital.

    He explained that the increment of employers on the scheme is because employers see  the scheme as a move by government to promote safety in the workplace and ensure that injured workers are not only treated but are rehabilitated.

    “This scheme does not only ensure the safety of workers but also promote efficiency and enhance productivity because workers now know that they can work without inhibition because they would be looked after in case of injury or death,’’ he said.

    Abubakar warned that any employer that fails to enrol its workers on the scheme would soon face prosecution.

    He said: “The legal department of the NSITF has been given marching order to prosecute every non-compliant employer. We will soon drag these recalcitrant employers to court for prosecution. We will ensure that every employer that has not will now pay from July 2011 to date because this payment is a product of the law and those who flout the law must be made to face the full wrath of the law. We have given enough grace to employers; we have cajoled them and explained why their employees must be covered under the Employees Compensation Scheme Act.”

    The NSITF boss also enjoined state governments to enrol their employees on the scheme and that it had been showing a good example by paying for its employees on the scheme.

    He said the fund was trying to revive artificial body parts manufacturing centres in Lagos and Enugu.

    “Our intention is to run these centres for about six months before implementing others. Our intention is to establish each centre in the six-geopolitical zones of the country. This is a provision that is contained in the Employees Compensation Act,” Abubakar said.

    The NSITF helmsman also said it had perfected plans to develop a checklist of requirements for claims to reduce the amount of time injured employees spend to process entitlements.

    NECA Director-General, Mr. Segun Oshinowo, called for the involvement of the Ministry of Labour and Employment in the audit of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) standards in workplace premises.

    He urged companies to place emphasises on occupational safety in their various work environment, saying: “There is no enough money that can be paid to an employee for a lost eye or a lost finger. So, for us in NECA, the focus must always be to ensure that the workplace is safe for every employee.”

  • TUC, ASCSN propose N52,000 minimum wage

    The Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) have announced plans to engage government in dialogue towards increasing the minimum wage to N52,000.

    The unions also warned of dire consequences, which may include the shutting down of state governments, if the governors carry out their threat to reduce the N18,000 minimum wage or retrench workers.

    Speaking with The Nation, TUC President Comrade Bobboi Kaigama said the Congress had concluded plans to engage the government in dialogue towards increasing the minimum wage to N52,000.

    Kaigama described as laughable the claim by some governors that N18,000 minimum wage was imposed on them when oil sold for $126 as against the present price of $41 per barrel and that they cannot pay.

    He said the governors’ comments may have been occasioned by the unbridled corruption and mismanagement of public funds by the governors themselves. He reiterated that the minimum wage was a product of tripartite meetings involving government at all levels, employers (through Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), and organised labour.

    “They (state governments) cannot use our collective wealth on their electioneering campaigns, payment of their children’s school fees abroad, foreign medical tourism, etc. only to come tell us they cannot pay salaries because the price of oil has dropped. They are not serious,” Kaigama said.

    He said TUC’s position was that the searchlight beamed on the arms deal scam should be extended to board members of the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), who served for only five years and have set aside N2.7 billion for themselves, whereas they offered nothing but a privatisation that has produced nothing but darkness.

    “Nigeria has enough money to maintain its roads; we do not need toll gates that will only end up making the so-called big boys richer at the expense of everyone else,” Kaigama said.

    In a statement on Monday, this week, ASCSN Secretary-General Comrade Alade Bashir Lawal expressed sadness that Nigerian governors who have not deemed it fit to reduce their humongous salaries and allowances were bent on jettisoning the N18,000 monthly minimum wage so that they could begin to pay as low as N5,000 monthly to civil servants.

    The union regretted that: “Given the current high cost of living, the N18,000 monthly minimum wage cannot even last the average worker one week yet, the governors are bent on reducing it This is very unfortunate because these governors allocate to themselves, on the average, N1 billion monthly as security vote and spend nothing less than N18,000 daily to feed one of their animal pets or buy recharge cards for one of their children, or, worse still, for one of their numerous girl friends.”

    The ASCSN pointed out that there is no state that does not have natural resources, but instead of harnessing them they (governors) prefer to wait for monthly handouts and now bailouts from Abuja to administer their states.

    It stressed that if the state governments could reduce wastages, tackle corruption and moderate their greed, there would be more than enough money to pay enhanced minimum wage and carry out meaningful development in their states.

    ASCSN advised the governors, who are tired of governance because of the fall in revenue allocation and downward slide in the price of oil in the international market, to resign immediately and allow more serious-minded individuals, who are prepared to harness resources of the states for the benefit of the people, including workers, to take up the mantle of leadership.

  • Fed Govt urged to explore non-oil sector for job creation

    Experts have said lots of jobs can be created through the exportation of non oil produce. They urged the Federal Government on effective Export Expansion Grant (EEG) to encourage investors in the value chain process.

    Speaking with reporters at the 2015 Money for Business Conference organised by Success Edge at the weekend in Lagos, the Managing Director of Success Edge International Limited, Mr. Godwin Oyefeso said there are lots of job opportunities in the non oil export value chain, adding that the  suspension of the EEG scheme by government has generated several criticisms from agro-processors and players in the value-addition sector. He  described it as a disincentive and encouragment to raw commodities’ exportation.

    “In assisting the exportation of non-oil products, government came up with EEG to give up to about N5 million but was increased to N10 million. It was stopped under the last administration and since then, things have not been going on well. But basically, the government has EEG and it is not a loan, it is a grant but the scheme has been stopped but we believe with the present administration, there is every need for it to be revived and be given to exporters,” he said.

    According to Oyefeso, with the decline in crude oil prices in the international market, government is looking for a way to diversify the economy by going into exploitation of agro commodities and solid minerals.

  • Anti-corruption war is on course, says NLC

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said the anti-corruption war of the Federal Government is on course, urging President Muhammadu Buhari not to relent in his efforts to stem corruption.

    Addressing reporters in Abuja on Monday, NLC President Comrade Ayuba Wabba called on the the government to, among other things, probe the power sector reform programme, which has delivered darkness instead of light, in spite of the billions of dollars sunk in the sector.

    “We urge President Buhari not to relent in his war against corruption; even if it is his only major achievement in four years, it will suffice,” he said.

    Wabba said the ongoing revelations on the $2.1 billion arms deal have vindicated NLC’s  support for the fight against graft.

    He said the revelations by former National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd) and his Director of Finance, Shuaibu Salisu, Labour believes, are just the tip of the iceberg. The mind-boggling revelations reinforce Labour’s call for capital punishment for corrupt public officers.

    “We believe with prescription of more stringent punishment for corruption cases, few will dare to go to this extent. We need not be told that massive corruption in the system is responsible for our lack of development and our present economic woes,” he said.

    Wabba added that rising cases of alienation, civil disobedience, crime and insurgency are traceable to corruption in high places, which did not only create avoidable diseases, ignorance and poverty, but have totally incapacitated the people.

    “We as a people and as a nation cannot continue like this, except we want to continue to be the laughing stock of other nations and except we want to create a state of anarchy. Because, certainly, our teeming youths and the army of the unemployed who look up to their country for their means of livelihood will not fold their hands while a few individuals corner the national resources.

    “We urge civil servants to follow the sterling example of Shuaibu Salisu as well as call upon the government to ensure the safety of such civil servants. We assure such civil servants of our protection, as we will not hesitate to shut down any organisation that attempts to oppress or witch hunt any whistle blower,” he stated.

    Wabba said the action would have, at least, succeeded in recovering the loot as well as set a national moral barometer capable of attracting international confidence and respectability.

    He said NLC would not allow any attempt to politicise the anti-corruption efforts.

    “While we urge the anti- corruption agencies to follow due process, we also demand that those who cry foul play and call for equity must come with clean hands,” Wabba said.

    He said the war against financial criminality is, by nature, exclusive against criminals, regardless of their political affiliation.

    His words: “We must look at the bigger picture of national recovery. Recently disclosed seizures totalling about $5billion from various suspects are a lot of resources needed for national development.

    “Money pocketed by these big-time criminals cannot be made available to pay police salaries nor can it be available for payment of minimum wages, Universal Basic Education and health. Financial crimes also worsen the image crisis of Nigeria and undermine national economic recovery”.

  • Experts praise ITF on jobs creation

    Experts praise ITF on jobs creation

    The Industrial Training Fund, (ITF) has been praised over its proactive measures taken to eliminating unemployment from the country.

    Some experts, who spoke with The Nation, said the innovations and initiatives that have been brought about by ITF leadership, under its Director- General, Dr. Juliet Chukkas-Onaeko, were diverse and impactful, particularly, given the short time the she has been in office.

    For instance, Managing Partner of Soreb Consulting International Mr. Kunle Rotimi said ITF, under Chukkas-Onaeko’s charge, has entered into an understanding with the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) to improve and expand opportunities for young artisans.

    Rotimi also said the agreement and understanding ITF reached with the Cement Technology Institute of Nigeria (CITIN) would lead to the training of builders. He noted that the ITF/Shelter Watch Initiative arrangement, which has been concluded, would ensure unemployment in the country is eliminated through value addition in the building and construction sector.

    According to him, the leadership of the ITF deserves accolades for initiating collaborations with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), National Universities Commission (NUC) and the National Association of Chambers of Commerce of Commerce, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) in less than a year in office.

    His words: “The present leadership of the ITF has already concluded the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO)-backed skills gaps survey that will successfully raise and place Nigeria at par with other developed nations of the world.

    “The move will provide skills training for employment and job creation, and identify the challenges of mismatches between skills demands and supply, which the country is presently grappling with. It will help provide vocational and technical training for thousands of internally displaced persons in various parts of the country”.

    On his part, President of Global Peace Movement International, a United Kingdom-based leadership and development organisation, Dr Mike Uyi, said it was not surprising that the International Labour Organization (ILO) has recognised the quality leadership being provided the ITF by the present Director-General. This, he said, necessitated their visit to the Fund with a promise to work with and collaborate in areas of mutual interests.

    Uyi said the standardisation and certification of ITF’s trainees and graduates has been fast-tracked and improved under the present leadership, while the ITF has improved and expanded the partnership with the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA), leading to improved access and opportunities for the National Industrial Skills Development Programme, (NISDP).

    He added that it was noteworthy that the Fund has initiated the establishment of an e- learning platform to provide access to training and skills development in Nigeria. Already, the Fund is at an advanced stage of launching an online job portal to provide a robust interface between employers of labour and the unemployed youths.

  • NARTO calls for to end fuel crisis

    The Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) has called on the Federal Government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to find lasting solutions to fuel scarcity.

    In a communiqué issued at the end of its 16th Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Abuja, on Monday, NARTO noted that fuel scarcity has continued to inflict increasing hardship on Nigerians.

    In the communiqué signed by its National President, Alhaji (Dr) Kassim Ibrahim Bataiya, NARTO also said the masses had been forced to spend so much on commercial transport due to the sudden hike in transport fares due to the scarcity.

    As a way out of the problem, NARTO called on the NNPC and one of its subsidiaries, the Pipeline and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), to ensure the speedy repair of pipelines across the country for easy lifting of petroleum products to the nook and crannies of the nation.

    NARTO also urged the Federal Government to put in motion necessary machineries that will ensure that refineries resumed production to enhance local refining to solve the problem associated with importation of refined products, including the subsidy issue.

     

  • NUPENG seeks rejuvenation of economy

    NUPENG seeks rejuvenation of economy

    The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), has urged President Muhammadi Buhari and the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to hit the ground running to put the economy on track.

    The union, in a statement, said it believes that time had been wasted in constituting the cabinet to implement the programmes of the government.

    NUPENG appealed to FEC to meet regularly to proffer solutions to the needs of the citizens.

    The workers said expectations were high, adding that the ministers should put in place policies to arrest incessant fuel shortages crippling the economy.

    NUPENG said since Mr. President is in charge of the Petroleum Ministry, he and his team must put in place short- and long-term measures to end the sufferings of the masses so they can get petroleum products without wasting man-hours at the filling stations.

    NUPENG also urged the Federal Government to address casualisation and outsourcing of workers to contractors, which is modern-day slavery.

    NUPENG added that as the over-seer of the Petroleum Ministry, Mr. President must address the issues of non-payment of cash-calls on Joint Ventures and also represent the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) after a stakeholders’ meeting to iron out the grey areas.

    The group said the new FEC must halt divestments in the oil & gas industry and tackle the Turn-Around-Maintenance (TAM) of the nation’s four refineries in Port Harcourt 1, 2 Kaduna and Warri.

    NUPENG stated that it will not hesitate to resist any further retrenchment and down-sizing in the oil and gas sector and therefore called for an enabling environment that will create a level-playing field for investors to operate.

    The Union also wants the problems of power and bad roads addressed while the diversification of the economy must be on the front burners of the government.