The Nation Newspaper

Category: Labour

  • Construction workers lament abuse of expatriate quota

    Construction workers have called for the government’s intervention in the alleged abuse of the expatriate quota by employers in the country.

    Rising from their Fourth Quadrennial Delegates Conference in Owerri, the Imo State capital, the workers under the aegis of the National Union of Civil Engineering, Construction, Furniture and Wood Workers (NUCECFWW) condemned the abuse by employers in the industry. They said the implementation of the quota is not in tandem with the Nigerian Content Development Act, which states that Nigerians should be considered first in any employment before foreigners or expatriates.

    In the communiqué issued at the conference attended by 445 delegates, and signed by the President of the union, Oba Samuel Adeoye and General Secretary, Comrade Babatunde Liadi, they urged the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Ministry of Labour and Productivity to ensure that there is need for expatriates in any company before granting work permit to any foreigner. They added that the government should step up efforts to check the influx of expatriates into the country.

    The conference also demanded that the Understudy Clause in the Nigeria Expatriate Quota law be respected, while many of the companies should comply with the provisions of the Nigerian Content Development Act.

    On employment generation, the union noted that unemployment is one of the greatest problems facing the country and commended the efforts of the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment to encourage local and foreign private investors on job creation.

    It, however, called for “more concession to be granted on essential imported raw materials that cannot be locally sourced by manufacturing companies to jumpstart the economy as this will enable them generate more jobs in the country.”

    The conference-in-session also demands that the government needs to be more practical in her focus on the agricultural sector, to enhance employment and job creation, stimulate food security and alleviate poverty as well as reduce crimes.

    Issue of unemployed youths came to the fore, and the conference recommended that the government should evolve a social security package for them as it is being done in other countries.

    Income tax system in the country was adjudged inadequate. The conference-in-session demands that the “income tax laws be realistically reviewed with the focus on the relief system to be in correlation with the current economic realities in the country.”

    It noted the adverse effects of the recent action by some local and states government to impose taxes on member-firms, especially quarry companies.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Fuel price hike: Labour mobilises for April protest

    The stage is set for a showdown with the Federal Government over its planned increase in the prices of petroleum products, as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and civil society groups have started mobilising for protest.

    Oil workers and civil servants have also vowed to join the organised labour.

    The NLC and TUC have set aside Wednesday, April 10 for a nationwide mass protest. The Labour centres claimed to be alarmed by the government’s uncaring attitude to pensioners. They lamented that even after it had been established that the custodian of pension funds stole huge amount of the money, he was given a light punishment and option of meagre fine.

    TUC President-General, Peter Esele, said the decision for mass protest was taken at the Congress’ National Executive Council meeting.

    In separate telephone conversations with The Nation, oil workers under the aegis of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas workers (NUPENG) called for the Finance Minister’s resignation, saying that is the only way out of the subsidy crisis.

    NUPENG President, Comrade Igwe Achese, said the Minister has failed the nation as she has told Nigerians contradicting stories on subsidy. She should, therefore, resign if things must be done properly, he stressed.

    He recalled that the Finance Minister last year claimed that N1.2 trillion had fraudulently gone into subsidy, stressing that the government will continue to pay subsidy until all the nation’s refineries are repaired and made to work at optimal capacity, and all the depots rehabilitated.

    The senior civil servants under the umbrella of Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) said they would resist a new increase in petroleum products prices with “everything humanly possible”

    The Secretary-General, Comrade Bashir Alade Lawal, said: “We are preparing to meet the government for upward review of salaries, now that they are proposing fuel price increase, it’s like they are telling the workers to go and commit suicide. We are not going to accept that.”

    Senior oil workers under the aegis of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) also condemned the proposed increase in fuel price. PENGASSAN President, Comrade Babatunde Ogun, said: “It is not possible for government to increase fuel price now. There are many unanswered questions, ranging from subsidy claims, refineries, Petroleum Industry Bill and other conditions in our laws. Government need further engagement of all stakeholders on the project.”

  • Fed Govt floats committee to pay electricity workers

    The lingering crisis between the Federal Government and electricity workers may soon come to an end, as the government has set up a committee to pay members of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) their terminal benefits.

    Workers of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) under the aegis of NUEE have been quarrelling with the government over their severance package following the privatisation of the company.

    The Minister of State for Power, Hajia Zainab Kuchi, said at the inauguration of the committee, that the team would be headed by the permanent secretary of the ministry, Mr Godknows Igali.

    The Minister told The Nation that the committee is to determine the correct number of workers affected and obtain their bio-data. It is also saddled with the responsibility of determining components of staff entitlements, including gratuity, pension, and repatriation.

    It is also to conduct verification of affected staff with bio-metrics to ensure that authentic beneficiaries obtained 10 digits Nigerian Uniform Bank Account Number for each worker.

    Representatives of the ministries of Finance, Labour and Bureau of Public Enterprise are members of the committee.

    Others  are representatives of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Auditor-General of the Federation, Pension Commission, PHCN, NUEE, Electricity and Allied Companies, Nigeria Electricity Liability Management Company, and Alexander Forbes Consulting.

    The terms of reference also include computations of audit by a team from the Auditor-General’s Office and payments to be made to the verified beneficiaries by the Accountant-General’s Office.

    The committee is expected to present progress report and status of the payments to the vice-president through the Ministry of Power as well as address other related concerns of the government and the union to ensure amicable conclusion of the exercise.

    Kuchi said the committee was expected to complete its assignment within three weeks.

    She said that because of the importance of the committee, members must not be below the level of deputy director.

    According to her, negotiations carried out by the government, labour and other stakeholders led to the signing of the December 11, 2012, agreement.

    Kuchi said the agreement outlined the benefits to be paid to the union and also envisaged vital requirements for efficient workforce that would make the sector perform optimally.

    The dispute between the government and union lingered for two years before the signing of the agreement.

    The Minister of Labour and Productivity Chief Emeka Wogu, told The Nation that the agreement was the final progress made by the government and the labour union.

    Wogu promised that the government would not short-change the union, adding that President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration was concerned about the workers’ plight.

     

     

     

     

  • ‘Pay policy for workers coming’

    The National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission has promised that the commission will come out with a pay policy for the public service.

    Chairman of the commission, Dr Richard Egbule, spoke with The Nation at the end of a two-day national workshop in Abuja on the development of a pay policy guide for the public service.

    He said the workshop was organised due to recent quests by government workers to improve on their remunerations in form of pay reforms and emolument.

    The chairman said that the report from the forum by stakeholders would assist the commission to work on the pay policy.

    He said the commission needs to get a draft that will be presentable to the Federal Government to ensure that the pay policy is enacted as a law.

    He added that another policy the commission was working on was a comprehensive job evaluation and grading in the public service.

    Egbule said: “Recent improvements in the area of workers’ welfare in the form of pay reforms and emolument review generated numerous enquiries.

    “The workshop was planned to provide a forum for stakeholders to brainstorm on the subject matter and generate input for developing such a document.

    “We will look at the areas the participants have mentioned in order to come out with probably a draft, because the ultimate thing now is the draft.”

  • NLC seeks car loans revival for Niger workers

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Niger State, is seeking revival of car loan grant for workers in the state.

    The Chairman, Malam Yahaya Ndako, said this would enable the workers to give their best.

    Ndako made the call during a visit to Alhaji Saidu Idris, the Secretary to the State Government. He sought the revival of the labour transport service as an affordable means of transportation to the people.

    He said there was need for the government to involve the organised labour in matters that affect civil servants.

    Ndako commended the state government for its efforts in repositioning the state for the advancement of the citizenry and assured the government of organised labour’s support at all times.

    Alhaji Idris said the state government had put necessary measures in place for stronger collaboration with the organised labour.

    He urged the workers to continue to support the government programmes and policies which, he said, were designed to put the state on the path of growth.

  • Institute’s strike: TUC appeals to Jonathan

    Chairman, Trade Union Congress (TUC), Kwara State, Mr Israel Adebisi, has  appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to wade into the ongoing industrial action embarked upon by Research Institutes’ workers..

    Adebisi told The Nation that the action involved research institutes, including those in the health, agriculture and education sectors.

    “The development would have adverse effect on Nigeria’s quest to research breakthroughs. At present, we have all these research institutes scattered in many ministries and as such our demands include merger of all the institutes under a commission, the National Research Institutes Commission (NARICOM).

    “We are also calling for adequate funding of the institutes and to give us the same privileges like universities and skipping of one grade level as is done in government employment,’’ he said.

    He said  various member unions of the institutes had negotiated with their ministries since last year on their demands.

    Adebisi said the research institutes started the strike on February 4, after the Federal Government failed to look into their demands, adding that Nigeria has more than 30 research institutes.

  • Firm rewards 460 employees

    Firm rewards 460 employees

    Promasidor Nigeria Limited has rewarded about 460 employees for their hard work and long years of service to the company.

    According to statement, the employees, including their spouses, were honoured for putting in 10 and 15 years of serving. The event held at Granduer Events Centre, Ikeja, Lagos, last weekend.

    Speaking at the event, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Promasidor Nigeria, Chief Keith Richards, said the long service award is a yearly event meant to celebrate the company’s long serving staff and promote the spirit of togetherness in the establishment.

    Richards said:“Today is about you. We want to appreciate you for your hard work and long years of service, as well as use the opportunity to socialise and relax. We want to thank you for everything you have done to help this company.

    “When we saw the number of people to be rewarded, at first we thought it would be a challenge, but as the planning committee went on with the plans, we knew it would go well. Once again, from Promasidor group, thank you for your support and do enjoy yourselves.”

    In a message, Chairman, Promasidor Nigeria, Mr Mark Rose, apologised for his absence, but congratulated the employees for their long years of service.

  • Minister praised for generating 198,534 jobs

    The Federal Executive Council has praised the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, for his efforts at job creation and resolution of industrial dispute.

    He was also commended for the advancement of paradigm shift in labour administration as well as development of strategic plan for the Ministry and pro-active approach to industrial related issues in the country,

    These commendations came shortly after the Minister presented last year’s performance report of his Ministry to the Federal Executive Council, presided over by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

    Chief Wogu, among other various achievements, listed during the presentation, according to a statement, revealed that the Federal Government was able to generate a total of 198,534 jobs from the various contracts approved for implementation by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) last year.

    The Minister of National Planning, Dr. Shamsudeen Usman, who is also responsible for the coordination of the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) of the MDAs, commended the minister for a detailed presentation. He encouraged other ministers to emulate the contribution of the Minister of Labour and Productivity to the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.

     

  • Kebbi to recruit 8,000 teachers

    Jobless teachers in Kebbi State may soon smile as the government is set to employ 8,000 teachers from the zonal education centres as part of efforts to reduce the impact of the dearth of teachers.

    The Commissioner of Science and Technical Education, Alhaji Ruwa Dakingari, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Birnin Kebbi that the employment would be spread evenly among the state zonal education centres.

    He said the minimum qualification required of the teachers were Bachelors Degree, Higher National Diploma (HND), National Certificate in Education (NCE) or Diploma in Arabic and Islamic knowledge.

    Dakingari said recruitment at the Argungu and Bunza zonal education centres had started and it would be conducted in the Jega, Yauri and Zuru zonal education centres.

    He added that the exercise would be concluded this month.

    He said the dearth of teachers was felt more at the primary school level than at the secondary schools and higher institutions. He expressed the hope that the trend would be reversed.

    “Having completed the construction of some new schools, the ministry has embarked on the decongestion of schools to provide an environment that is conducive for teaching and learning.

    “The renovation of the schools and infrastructure as well as the construction of new science laboratories for the schools will also start soon.’’

  • New tenure system affects five perm secs, 31 directors

    Five out of the 32 permanent secretaries in Kano State are to retire from service  following the introduction of tenure system for public servants in the state.

    The state’s Head of the Civil Service, Alhaji Umar Minjibir, said  through his Public Relations Officer, Alhaji Mustapha Ibrahim, in Kano, has said.

    Also, he said out of the 302 directors in the state civil service, only 31 directors were affected by the new policy.

    Ibrahim also confirmed the story to The Nation last Thursday.

    Minjibir assured that the state has qualified officers who would take over from the retiring officers.

    ‘’There are qualified directors who will be appointed permanent secretaries in the state,’’ he said.

    He said the government would ensure prompt settlement of retirement benefits of all the affected officers.

    According to him, the government has recruited as part of efforts to inject new blood into the service.

    ‘’No state in the country has done what Kano State did in the area of recruitment which stands at over 4, 000 graduates during the period under review,’’ he said.

    The state last Monday announced the introduction of tenure system for permanent secretaries and directors in the state civil service.