The Nation Newspaper

Category: Labour

  • Unions to clamp down on electricity firms

    The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC) have concluded plans to clamp down on electricity distribution companies that have no condition of service for workers.

    The unions argued that any of the Distribution Companies (DisCos) and the Generation Companies (GenCos) without condition of service for their workers has no business remaining in the power sector.

    The unions said this during the signing of conditions of service of the Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JED) Plc in Lagos.

    They commended JED Plc. for the steps taken and promised to give the organisation the best co-operation to ensure its growth.

    SSAEAC President-General, Chris Okonkwo, who disclosed that JED has proved to be labour-friendly, said other companies in the electricity sector must desist from denying workers their rights.

    He warned that the unions would do all within their powers and the law to take firm stand against the erring firms.

    “This is an opportunity to warn those companies that they can run but they cannot hide. We will, within our powers and within the law, take a firm stand against them. They will be disgraced,” he said.

    The General Secretary of NUEE, Joe Ajaero, said the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with JED was timely, as the firm had saved itself from the union’s indictment.

    He added: “The signing of MoU with JED is very timely, as Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) is trying to shy away from its responsibility of revisiting the DisCos after five years.

    “JED has saved itself from the indictment of the union because in the next few days, we will start a rigorous campaign that any of the DisCos and GenCos that has no condition of service has no business remaining in the power sector.”

    Ajaero said with what JED has done in terms of human resources, it has fulfilled that condition and the union commends it for doing the right thing.

    “Enugu and Egbin have been stealing our monies; they have consistently been pilfering with the check off dues of the union,” he alleged.

    Earlier, the Managing Director of JED Plc., Mohammed Modibbo, who was represented by the companies Head, HR/Support Services, Abubakar Muhammed, affirmed that they would ensure total compliance with the conditions stated in the document.

    Modibbo, who appreciated the co-ordination by the unions during the period of preparing the document, enjoined other companies to see the condition of service to be benefits of all members of the organisation as a unit.

  •  ‘70% of workers in Nigeria, sub-Saharan Africa in vulnerable employment’

    About 70 per cent of workers in sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria, are in vulnerable employment, compared to a global average of 46 per cent.

    A report by the World Economic Forum (WEF) indicated that unemployment and underemployment ranked in first place in sub-Saharan Africa as the top risk for doing business.

    The forum stated in the report that 22 of the 34 economies surveyed cited it as the top risk for doing business in the region.

    “In sub-Saharan Africa, countries face the profound challenge of creating sufficient jobs to meet the needs of the working-age population,” the report stated.

    The forum predicted that the working age population of sub-Saharan Africa is expected to more than double to 1.6 billion by 2050 and that this must be matched with quality of employment.

    Read also: Lagos to complete largest rice mill in Sub-Saharan Africa early 2019

    It is the view of more than 12,000 business people across 140 economies, according to findings that the World Economic Forum published in the first edition of a new Regional Risks for Doing Business report that  unemployment and underemployment represent the biggest risk for doing business around the world.

  • Tricyclists ask Lagos govt to resolve crisis with drivers

    The Tricycle Owners Association of Nigeria (TOAN) has called on Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to address the disruptions of its operations.

    Those accused include the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and its affiliate, Tricycle Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria (TOOAN); Road Transport Employees Association (RTEAN), and the Tricycle Owners and Drivers Association of Lagos (TODAL).

    TOAN, a registered trade union organisation, argued that it has had a running battle with members of the NURTW because of its decision to operate independently, and continually had its operations disrupted even with a judgment ruled in its favour by the National Industrial Court (NIC).

    The Acting Chairman, Lagos State Council of TOAN, Tunji Oyeniyi, in a statement, said the bodies in collaboration with some government officials, ministries and with the assistance of the Police and other security agencies, have taken over all its parks and operational bases in the state through invasion, attacks, brutalisation and threats to  members’ lives.

    He said not granting TOAN the autonomy to co-exist with other unions peacefully was a threat to industrial harmony and growth of the state.

    Oyeniyi, who said several efforts had been made to convince the Ministry of Transportation, and Ministry of Establishments and Training to re-issue a ‘Letter of Recognition and Approval’ earlier granted on January 13, last year, but withdrawn for no reason within three weeks by the Ministry of Transportation.

    TOAN called on the governor to wade into the injustice and investigate its present challenges caused by the ministry as well as punish offenders accordingly.

    Its Chairman said: “The dehumanisation and loss of means of livelihood through the unjustified illegal actions carried out by these groups on us was an abuse of our fundamental right to carry out our economic activities.

    “We wish to reinstate that those past and recent activities of the law enforcement agencies where cases of threats and brutalisation were reported and actions not taken were confirmation to our claim.

    “Insiders’ accounts revealed that there is a serious conspiracy going on against us. What else can we say, if a judgment has been given and we have our certificate of registration yet cannot operate.”

     

     

  • ‘Improve national productivity to justify N30,000 minimum wage’

    Workers have been urged to re-dedicate themselves to the improvement of national productivity as they clamour for a new national minimum wage.

    National Productivity Centre Director-General, Dr. Kashim Akor, made the call at a two-day national workshop on ‘’Enhancing organisational performance through productivity improvement techniques’ organised by the Centre in Abuja.

    Akor said the new minimum wage could only be implemented and sustained with improved productivity in the national economy.

    He said: “As a result, all workers must develop the culture of continuous improvement in whatever they do as a way of enhancing individual and organisational productivity.”

    The DG advocated economic growth centred on human capital with little or no emphasis on natural resources.

    “This implies that as the nation spends fortune exploring natural resources, more should be put on developing the frontiers of knowledge of the human capital, especially those of the public sector.

    “The sector’s disposition to provide essential services as and when needed depends on acquisition of new thinking or knowledge that is synergistic with the changing organisational dynamics and processes,” he said.

  • NLC seeks conflict resolution mechanism to stop killings

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged the Federal Government to set up conflict resolution mechanisms to resolve frequent clashes of conflicting interests.

    Speaking at a roundtable discussion on “Understanding and resolving the herders-farmers’ violent conflicts in Nigeria,” NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, represented by the Deputy General Secretary, Chris Uyot, said the security agencies must ensure that individuals are checkmated to mitigate the use of illicit weapons during misunderstandings.

    On his part, the Country Director of Nigeria-Plan International, Dr. Hassanni Abdul, said: “There are two dimensions to what the government can do. The first is the immediate reaction of stopping the violence, which requires effective polices, simultaneous level of community engagement, rebuilding community level conflict management mechanism and stopping the killing. And secondly is to find long-term sustainable solutions to solve the problem by involving different sectors.

    “To encourage the process that will discourage movement of herdsmen, some people have advocated ranching, grazing reserve among others. To ensure that policy design involves quality process so that people can be part and own these policies, that laws are not just dropped on the people because it is a continuous process, and solve problems as they emerge within the set up of short-term and long-term mechanism.”

    Director, Practice Centre, Dr. Ene Ede, represented by Jaye Gaskiya, said governments at the federal, state, and council must understand that Nigerians face common challenges, and should act together to address political issues.

    He said finding solutions must include true leadership and exploring economy solutions. “All these issues are about livelihood because people are basically at the base of these conflicts, and we must institute a land and natural resource management process that enables every stakeholder that depends on land to earn a living and put economic incentive in place because if we are saying we want cattle rearing to become a commercial and viable business, then it must be done in a way that is less damaging to the environment,” he argued.

    He further noted that if people take laws into their hands, they must also be dealt with, saying: “We must find a way of tracking criminals and separating criminals from genuine persons, and dealing with criminals as criminals and not criminalising an entire livelihood and systems, and this requires political leadership.”

  • NUR gets Ag. President-General

    Comrade Innocent Luka Ajiji has resumed as the acting President- General of the Nigeria Union of Railway Workers (NUR).

    Ajiji,  a deputy president-general of the union, stepped into the office when the President-General, Comrade Saidu Garba, retired after serving for 35 years at the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).

    Ajiji was employed by the NRC on September 15, 1997 as assistant locomotive driver in Kafanchan, headquarters of the northcentral district of the Corporation after excelling in the initial Diesel Training School he attended in Kafanchan.

    Ajiji attended training locally and overseas.

    Among them were the Railway Safety and Modern System on British Standard Gauge and advanced motive power operations and maintenance in 2013 in United Kingdom and South Africa.

    He was promoted several times and at the moment is a Locomotive Inspector.

    Ajiji began his trade unionism when he became the chapter auditor of the Union from 1999 to 2002 and later became the Union’s branch auditor from 2002 to 2005.

    He has also held offices as district secretary, 2008 to 2011; district chairman 2011; vice president-general, 2011 to 2015; deputy president- general, 2015 to date.

    He will hold the position of acting president-general till the Union will go for its delegates’ conference/elections next month.

    Ajiji holds a Diploma in Marketing from the University of Jos and is  studying for a degree in Political Science in the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).

  • Senior civil servants send pay rise memo to govt

    WiTH  the minimum wage debacle yet to be resolved, senior civil servants are seeking an upward review of their salary.

    The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) said it had sent a memorandum to that effect to the Federal Government.

    Its President, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama, said at the union’s National Executive (NEC) meeting  in Abuja that negotiation on the memorandum should begin in earnest to ensure that civil servants were adequately catered for and compensated for their strategic role in nation building.

    “It is, indeed, worrisome that patriotic citizens, who have served their fatherland meritoriously for 35 years or attained the retirement age of 60 years while in service cannot be paid their entitlements to enable them keep body and soul together let alone support their dependants.  “It must be emphasised that if this trend of subjecting retirees to untold hardship continues, the union will be compelled to begin to consider other trade union actions to seek redress,” he said.

    Kaigama said the core civil service, which is the engine room of government, was regrettably the least paid in the public service since other segments thereof have had their emoluments beefed up over the years.

    His words: “Even though civil servants, for instance, possess the same qualifications and experience as their counterparts in these parastatals and agencies, yet, the salaries of these other employees are, in most cases, three times more than that of officers in the core ministries.

    “This situation has been made worse by the fact that since 2010 when salary relativity was carried out in the core civil service, no salary increment has been granted to civil servants except for the N900 that was added to the emoluments of senior officers across board after N18, 000 was approved as the National Minimum Wage in 2011.”

    He said economic diversification holds the key to a robust economy, which creates jobs and reduces poverty and unemployment.

    Kaigama said government at all levels should articulate and implement a blueprint for the diversification of the economy.

    He said this could be done by leveraging sectors, such as agriculture, manufacturing, hospitality, tourism and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to boost productive activities and revenue generation and thereby reducing insecurity.

    On corruption, he said corruption remained one of the major challenges facing the nation, adding that this hydra-headed monster has continued to loom large in the country in spite of the initial steps taken to address the menace by the present administration.

    “Corruption in Nigeria has assumed a very big proportion that can be described as horrendous. The political class should know that there is no way this country can be inspired to greatness if this beast is not decapitated and rooted out of our system before it leads to catastrophic consequences.

    “The Federal Government is, therefore, advised to strengthen and reposition the anti-graft agencies such that diligent prosecution of corrupt officials, total recovery of looted funds and an end to the pillaging of public treasury can be guaranteed,” he said.

  • Fed Govt ‘committed to ILO standards’

    The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Prof. Stephen Ocheni, says the Federal Government is committed to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) standards on labour practice, social protection and equal opportunity for all.

    Ocheni gave this assurance when he received the ILO officials led by Ms Sukti Dasgupta, Chief of the Employment and Labour Branch of ILO, in Abuja. According to him, the Federal Government of Nigeria is irrevocably committed to ILO’s ethics in all its ramifications, especially on social protection and equal opportunity for women, men, physically challenged persons and other groups in the country.

    Ocheni said  the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had approved the National Policy on Employment.

    The minister said the government had also expressed its readiness to implement the policy in addition to hosting of the Global Youth Employment Forum.

    “On the issue of the National Policy on Employment, the Federal Executive Council approved the policy document in 2017 and the National Council for the implementation of this document was recently inaugurated by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige,” he said.

    The minister of state expressed with delight the government’s willingness to host the Global Youth Employment Forum by 2019, which would coincide with the ILO’s centenary.

    He said adequate security will be provided and also assured the delegates of necessary support for successful hosting of the youth forum.

    Earlier in her remarks, the leader of the delegation, Sukti Dasgupta said Africa needed empowerment and more interventions in the areas of Youth Employment; hence, ILO focuses on Nigeria to host the Global Youth Employment Forum.

    She also felicitated with Nigerians on the recent agreement reached with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on the new National Minimum Wage.

    The ILO chief further commended the National Employment Policy, which she described as well drafted. She enjoined the Federal Government to ensure its implementation.

  • ITF empowers 11,000 youths

    The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has said it has, in the last one year, empowered over 11,000 youths across the country.

    The scheme is under ITF National Industrial Skills Development Programme (NISDP).

    Director General of ITF Joseph Ari said this in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital at the closing ceremony of the women skills empowerment programme (WOSEP) of the fund.

    Sir Ari  added that “we took 300 youths in every state of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

    The programme is finishing in December. What we did last year was to identified three trade areas. If we continue like that slowly and steadily we will get to the destination point.”

    The DG said that Nigeria needs hands-on trade to match its booming population, saying that “our own situation is even more dangerous than ever based on the fact that our population is booming by the day. A booming population without hands-on trade will bring about restiveness, kidnapping and all the vices in the society will escalate.

    “The population of the country is exploding by the day and if we do not empower the people with hands-on trade then we are in trouble.

    There is no nation that can grow without hands-on trade.

    “Paper qualification will not take us far. In other nations of the world who have had paper qualification they had to fall back on skills development and so such countries are today regarded as the developed nations of the world on account of skills.”

    On WOSEP, the director general of ITF said that “in the first phase, the programme was implemented in 14 states of the federation as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and trained 30 women each.

    Plateau, Kano and Borno states government, however sponsored additional 350 and 100 trainees respectively.

    “In all, a total of 483 women were trained for three months and empowered with start-up kits in various trades including event management, cosmetology, tie and dye, hairmaking, food processing, tailoring and fashion design, poultry farming, bead making, bakery and pastry. Others are domestic electrical installation, soap/detergent and disinfectant making.

    “In this phase that is coming to a close today, 360 women drawn from Akwa-Ibom, bauchi, Bayelsa, Delta, Imo, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Oyo and Yobe states were trained for three months in tailoring and fashion design.”

    He warned the trainees not to contemplate selling the start-up packs, adding that they cost the ITF millions of Naira.

  • BATN unveils employees’ support package

    In a move aimed at deepening work life balance for its employees, the British American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN), during the week, launched a comprehensive support package, Parents@bat, for new employees.

    A statement from the firm said the new initiative introduced a range of new global parental benefits, including a minimum of 16 weeks fully paid maternity leave for new mothers and adoptive parents, flexible working options and online parental coaching support.

    “The benefits of the launch across BATN’S entire global footprint will help new parents at BAT to balance their home and work lives during the demanding and exciting first year of parenthood.

    “This is a transformative step for many of the 180 countries in which the group operates, offering significantly better terms than existing requirements in countries, including the United States of America, Indonesia, South Korea, Taiwan, Nigeria, the Gulf Cooperation Council, Egypt and Pakistan,” the statement read..

    BAT Chief Executive Officer  Nicandro Durante said: “This new range of parental benefits reflects our commitment to building and maintaining a diverse business and supporting all of our employees at every stage of life.

    ”We want to ensure no one at BAT has to choose between their career and their family and that is why this will be available to colleagues all over the world. We are looking forward to seeing these changes benefit our current and future workforce,” he said.