The Nation Newspaper

Category: Labour

  • NSITF to make ECA scheme attractive to employers

    The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) plans to make the Employment Compensation Scheme (ECA), attractive to employers.

    Speaking at the Fidau prayer for the late president of Nigeria Employers’Consultative Association (NECA), Dr. Muhammad Jimoh Yinusa,  NSITF Chairman, Austin Enejamo-Isire, said the fund was set to propagate the benefits of the scheme to employers, noting that such  campaigns would make employers key into the scheme.

    He said: “It is our plan to enhance the vision of NSITF, which would ensure deliverance and what is our vision, to be the leading social security institution in Africa as well as build the economy of our country.

    “We have a deliberate action on safety net and it is our main target to ensure that workers are well protected in the workplaces and should there be any accident that they are well compensated.

    “Employers who are under the scheme are better off than those who are not, this is because, in case of accident during the course of work, they pay nothing to take care of their employee, short of the mandatory 1 per cent contribution.”

    Enejamo-Isire reiterated the need to make employers aware of the advantage of enrolling their workers in the scheme.

    According to him, awareness was key to the success of the scheme, adding that the Federal Government was doing a lot for Nigerians in social investments to provide a fair deal for all citizens.

    He said: “I have just resumed as the chairman of the NSITF board and I believe that one way to increase enrolment is to create awareness and I do know that if you do great things and you fail to propagate those things, nobody will recognise that.’’

  • AfCTFA: TUC to monitor Fed Govt’s infrastructure

    Trade Union Congress (TUC) has assured members of the Organised Private Sector (OPS) that it will put the Federal Government on track in infrastructural development to ensure that the country reaps the benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

    Speaking at a media parley in Lagos, TUC President,  Comrade Quadri Olaleye, promised that the congress would engage Federal Government on infrastructural development, noting that infrastructure holds the key to the nation’s manufacturing sector’s participation in free trade.

    Olaleye explained that the arguments on whether Nigeria should sign the trade deal went on for over a year beacuase of poor infrastructure in the country.

    “As a congress, we personally have our concerns. Power is critical to manufacturing. We have population, but lack the basic infrastructure that is capable of making our industry thrive,” he said.

    The TUC chief stressed that the agreement would further kill the economy, if Nigeria remained a consuming nation.

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    “Our gains essentially depend on our ability to push our goods across borders and that is the only way the agreement can be fair to us. The energy sector has to be improved upon to boost productivity and lower cost of production, and also source raw materials locally. We must make free the trade agreement serve our interest,” he added.

    Olaleye said it had become imperative for Nigeria to expand its productive base and make efforts to create an environment that would support productive activities within the economy.

    On increasing the membership base of the TUC, which he said was one of his agenda, Olaleye promised to focus more on the informal sector and ensure that contract staff have standard arrangements with their employers.

    He said: “A very dangerous trend in our industries, especially the private sector, is casualisation of workers, while the public sectors are fond of being guilty of outsourcing.

    “A process where a business or government contracts a portion of its business or functions to a third party is not ideal for our fragile economy. The third party is typically a specialist in a particular field and based locally or in the country.

    “We have noted that outsourcing by various MDAs is simply a medium to siphon funds. Often, we noticed that fake expatriates are brought in with little or no capacity and yet were awarded contracts worth huge sums, even when workers could conveniently perform a similar task and even better.”

    He said the TUC would demand equitable laws, vigilant enforcement and ensure access to justice for workers.

  • NLC to Fed Govt: suport UN on decent jobs

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Federal Government to take urgent steps to align with the United Nations’ commitment to support a just ecological transition by formulating  plans for a just transition, creating decent work as well as green jobs for the citizens.

    This, the labour centre, noted involves creating mechanisms of inclusive social dialogue, such as assessing employment, social and economic impacts of ecological transition and green jobs potential; implementing skills development; designing innovative social protection policies; increasing transfer of technology and knowledge to developing countries as responsible investment.

    Read Also: Nigeria seeks Uniglobal’s support for new minimum wage implementation

    In a letter to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SFG), NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, said it looked forward to being partners with government in the implementation of the commitments.

    The letter noted that the UN Secretary-General is calling on all leaders to come to New York in September with plans to enhance their nationally-determined contributions by 2020, in line with reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 45 per cent over the next decade, and to net zero emissions by 2050.

  • NSITF praises ILO on social security safety initiatives

    The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has lauded the International Labour Organisation (ILO) for institutionalising social security initiatives that have impacted positively on the working class.

    Its General Manager, Administration, Segun Basorun, who stated this in Abuja recently, explained that ILO’s conventions and standards have helped in ensuring social cohesion in the world of work globally.

    “In the last 100 years, since 1919 when it was created, ILO has impacted positively on the world. Concerning social security, it has nine pillars that are very important in the life of human beings. These pillars are all resolutions, standards that nations have ratified.

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    “I know that the safety that the fund provides for workers in Nigeria would not have been possible without the ILO establishing that standard, which was ratified by the Nigerian government. The fact that the ILO has created these pillars gives a kind of direction for nations to follow as far as social security is concerned,” he stated.

    Basorun said countries are at different stages of development, adding that there are countries that provide for loss of employment as a social security item, adding that the fund is executing the task in partnership with the national umbrella body of employers in the country, Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA).

    “We have a partnership with NECA on promoting safe work environment by preventing occupational accidents. When you prevent accidents people will go back home the way they left. The partnership with NECA encourages employers to further realise that they have a responsibility to ensure that work is done safely in their organisations.

    “Apart from NECA, we have safety officers all over Nigeria, who also pay advocacy visits to organisations to talk about health and safety and the importance of doing work in a manner that is safe. These safety officers do root course analysis of why accidents happen, where they happen and recommend steps aimed at preventing reoccurrence because ultimately, all accidents are caused,” Basorun said.

    He added that the NSITF is equally partnering trade unions and trade centres in the country to entrench the importance of safe work environment and collaborating with them to encourage employers of their members to join the Employees Compensation Scheme (ECS).

    “Workers would put in their best when they know they would be taken care of in case of occupational injuries. So, that is why we say the ECS is a win-win scheme that finds no fault,” he said.

  • ‘Fed Govt has been gender friendly, sensitive’

    The Ministry of Labour and Productivity has said Nigeria government has been gender friendly and sensitive.

    Speaking when the Africa Gender Innovation Lab (GIL) of the World Bank visited the ministry, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr. William Alo said the government has been doing everything possible to promote the cause of Nigerian women both in the informal and formal sectors of the economy.

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    Alo stressed that legislations and policies in Nigeria are gender friendly, adding that the country is complying with the 35 per cent affirmative action and women are being given four months maternity leave to enable nursing mothers stay home and take care of their babies and, with their wages being paid.

    “In the Ministry of Labour and Employment, we make sure that there is no discrimination between men and women and we preach against it. In all policies and programmes we make sure there is equality, no discrimination of any sort even in wages,” he added.

    Earlier in her opening remarks, Julia Viallant, GIL team leader of Africa Gender Innovation, said the purpose of the visit was to figure out “what works and what does not” to improve gender equality.

  • Labour hails Oyetola, Kyari, Mustapha

    The Joint Labour Unions in Osun State have congratulated Governor Gboyega Oyetola on his victory at the Supreme Court over last year’s gubernatorial election in the state.

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), its Trade Union Congress (TUC) counterpart and the Joint Negotiating Council (JNC) in a joint statement in Osogbo, the state capital, felicitated with the governor.

    The statement, jointly signed by the state Chairman of NLC, Comrade Adekomi Jacob Tunde; his counterpart in the TUC, Comrade Adekola Adebowale and the JNC Chairman, Comrade Bayo Adejumo said: “We heartily congratulate the Executive Governor of the state, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola on his deserved victory at the Supreme Court.

    “It is our belief that this victory will spur you to be more focused and undistracted on the assignment of taking the state to greater heights.

    “The unions felicitate with you and pray that God Almighty will help you as you prepare to make life more bearable and pleasant for the teeming workers in the state. Once again, we congratulate you.”

    In a related event, the NLC, on behalf of its National Executive Council (NEC), commended President Muhammadu Buhari for reappointing Mr. Boss Mustapha and Malam Abba Kyari as Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chief of Staff to the President respectively.

    NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba said the union had over the past four years enjoyed very good working relationships with Alhaji Kyari and Mr. Mustapha, which have contributed immensely to fast-tracking resolutions of critical labour issues in the country.

    He said: “We have no doubt that the country has benefited and will benefit more from their commitment to the success of the present government and the progress of the entire country.”

    Wabba added that the union enjoyed a robust relationship with Mr. Kyari’s at critical moments during the negotiations of the new National Minimum Wage, “which dispelled various misinformation sent to the President by some individuals involved in the negotiations”.

    The NLC further urged  President Buhari to maintain the trust and patriotic purpose of Alhaji Kyari’s and Boss Mustapha’s presence in his administration.

  • Financial autonomy: LGAs can’t pay salaries, says Abubakar

    Governor Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State said employees of some of the local government councils in the state will not be receiving their salaries regularly, despite the financial autonomy given to local governments.

    The governor, who raised the concern over the looming danger, said with the financial autonomy, local government councils must learn to live within the limit of their statutory allocations as his government would not continue to augment the gap in salary payment of some councils, which operate in deficit.

    According to him, the state had to augment the salaries of Hadejia Local Government Council with over N40 million before the council could pay salaries last month, adding that such magnanimity would not be sustainable as all the three tiers of government are now independent of each other.

    He added that based on this reason, he is imploring the local government councils in the state to look inward on how best to sustain themselves, especially those that cannot cater for regular payment of salaries.

    He said:“The state government will continue to assist the local government, but what is obvious is there is a limit to such magnanimity.

    “I must advise the council chairmen to start thinking on how their respective local government councils could be financially sustainable, including considering the downsizing in some local governments with bloated workforce.”

  • PENGASSAN to NNPC boss: address pipeline vandalism, price uncertainty

    The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), has called on the new Board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to act fast on the challenges facing the industry.

    In a letter to Mele Kyari and signed by the General-Secretary, Comrade Lumumba Okugbawa, the union said challenges such as pipeline vandalism, crude oil theft, inadequate infrastructure and pricing uncertainties should be looked into.

    ”We agree that the nation’s oil and gas industry is on a steady progression to the next level. However, the challenges associated with pipeline vandalism,  crude oil theft, inadequate infrastructure, pricing uncertainties, and the obsolete refineries as well as the contentious fuel subsidy issues and resting of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), are issues the Nigerian masses expect the new NNPC Board to champion.”

    The union described Kyari’s appointment as well-deserved and a recognition of his 27 years of contributions and exemplary service to the NNPC group, the nation’s oil and gas sector and the growing economy that is majorly dependent on the industry.

    PENGASSAN said,  Kyari is a quintessential crude oil marketer with prerequisite certification and outfield pedigree in petroleum economics, and crude oil and gas trading, whose knowledge, wisdom, forthrightness, steadfastness, and purposefulness to the corporation, the oil and gas industry and the nation as a whole, is being rewarded by the new appointment.

    It said: “Your appointment did not come to our Association as a surprise because it is a testament to your hard work, dedication to duty and exemplary leadership quality. Our Association, having watched your steady and impactful progression over the years, welcome this great honour, higher responsibilities and challenges vested with this new appointment.

    “PENGASSAN as an in-house association in the sector, which your membership and activities climaxed with the position of GEC Chairman of NNPC, is aware how under your stewardship, the crude oil marketing division recorded noticeable transformation in the management and sales of various Nigeria’s crude oil grades through the infusion of transparency and automation of the processes.”

    The association revealed how it has followed Mr Kyari’s career  progression and believed that his appointment would further aid in the development of the oil and gas industry and the nation’s economy.

    ” We are also aware of how you led the team that proposed and managed the Direct Sales and Direct Purchase (DSDP) arrangement of petroleum products from 2016 to date, a process that saved the nation of over $1million in 2016 as a result of your handling of the crude oil swap arrangement with products. It is on this premise that PENGASSAN believes that your testament to exemplary record and exceptional performance over the years in different strategic roles will be of immense benefit to not just the corporation, but the nation’s oil and gas industry and the nation’s economy,” the union said.

    To the immediate past GMD, Dr Maikanti Baru, the association while commending him for his contributions to the growth of the industry, said history will remember him for his good works that brought stability to the industry in terms of industrial relations management and free flow of refined products.

    PENGASSAN also described its partnership with the outgone GMD as legendary, which they will forever remain grateful, and wished him the best of luck in his future endeavours.

  • Group holds skills seminar for youths

    TO tackle unemployment, the Ladies of St Mulumba, VGC Sub-Council, Lekki II, Lagos State has organised a seminar for  youths in various parishes under the sub council.

    Speaking at the event with the theme: “The hiring process: Things you should know”, the sub-council President, Lady Nnenne Ukairo, said it was focused on hiring processes, such as tips to write good curriculum vitae (CV) and tips for successful interview.

    “The key focus of the seminar is that we actually want to assist the youth (graduates and the unemployed), who have been shut out of the hiring process due to poorly-presented curriculum vitae. We are aware that in Nigeria, there are many qualified youths seeking for jobs, but are not well aware that your curriculum vitae is one of the very important steps in the employment process.

    “You must have a well-written curriculum vitae expressing and defining you and your qualification before a recruiting company or Employer can move to the next step of inviting you for an interview,” she said.

    She explained that after the seminar, the youth would be better positioned to write good CV that would earn them interview invitations, and ultimately jobs.

    According to Lady Ukairo, the knighthood embarks on charity initiatives, such as visiting the hospitals, prisons, adding that this seminar is one of the charity of the knighthood “and I think at this time in Nigeria, it is very necessary to educate and assist the youths on the subject with the view to positioning them for employment”.

    She continued: “This is one of our charity activities. The next charity activity might not focus on this, it might focus on another initiative. For the youths of Nigeria, we have had a lot of programmes ranging from pro-life, to instill morality and the sanctity of life. We have also had skills acquisition programmes in other parts of the country.

    “Next empowerment programme for our sub-council will be a follow-up on this training and another area of need, entrepreneurship. Today, we are focusing on academics for those who wish to secure paid employment having successfully acquired educational qualifications”

    The Vice-President,  Mrs. Theresa Chiejina, noted that the seminar provided an opportunity for members of the knighthood to contribute their time and talent to youth development in the country.

  • Govt urged to speed up implementation of minimum wage

    The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has urged the Federal Government to speed up the implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage to improve the living condition of workers.

    The Lagos State Chairman of the the council, Mallam Shakirudeen Olofin, said workers had endured enough hardship owing to rising cost of living.

    He added that the speedy implementation of the new minimum wage would give workers some relief.

    “The Federal Government, led by President Buhari, has done well by agreeing with the NLC on the N30,000 minimum wage and signing it into law.

    “But since April that the law had been signed, it has been one delay or the other, and we think the government is not being fair to workers on this.

    “The cost of living has doubled in the last six years and workers are still on the old N18,000 wage, enduring the hardship caused by others.

    “Workers need succour fast. Even though the N30,000 is not in tune with the present economic reality, government should implement it fast to give workers some relief,” he said.

    According to Olofin, workers are making serious sacrifice for the country and that they deserve commensurate pay.

    He faulted the government’s implementation committee’s disagreements with labour over the adjustments on the wages of those already earning above N30,000 minimum wage.

    Olofin said government’s reported insistence on a single digit adjustments for middle-level and senior workers smacked of insensitivity.

    “Single digit adjustments for those already earning above N30,000 cannot be justified. All categories of workers are in the same economy, with the inflationary rate being the same.

    “In a country where legislators and other categories of political office holders earn millions in income and allowances monthly, failure to give workers fair adjustments on their wages smacks of insensitivity,” he said.

    The IPAC chair, who urged President Buhari to intervene to get the right adjustments for workers, also called on state governments to implement immediately the template that was published.

    On calls to delist political parties over poor performance in the 2019 elections, he described such move as unnecessary.

    Olofin said delisting political parties because they did not win seats in an election was an infringement on the democratic rights of Nigerians.

    “You cannot force people to join the big parties; political parties are all about ideology and nobody should constrict the political space.

    “The calls are unnecessary; we condemn such at IPAC. Parties should be registered as long as they meet certain guidelines and that should not include winning elections,” he said.