The Nation Newspaper

Category: Labour

  • ILO: 40m in modern slavery, 152 m in child labour worldwide

    The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has warned that the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals may be under threat with the alarming figure of 40 million in modern slavery and 152 million children in child labour across the globe.

    New research developed by the ILO and the Walk Free Foundation, in partnership with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), has revealed the scale of modern slavery around the world.

    The data, released at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, showed that more than 40 million around the world were victims of modern slavery in 2016.

    The ILO also released a companion estimate of child labour, which confirmed that about 152 million children, aged between five and 17, were subject to child labour.

    The new estimates also show that women and girls were disproportionately affected by modern slavery, accounting for almost 29 million, or 71 per cent of the overall total.

    Women represent 99 per cent of the victims of forced labour in the commercial sex industry and 84 per cent of forced marriages.

    The research revealed that, among the 40 million victims of modern slavery, about 25 million were in forced labour and 15 million were in forced marriage.

    Child labour remained concentrated primarily in agriculture (70.9 per cent). Almost one in five child labourers work in the services sector (17.1 per cent) while 11.9 per cent of child labourers work in industry.

     

  • Labour seeks national unity

    Labour seeks national unity

    The organised labour has said Nigeria’s 57th independence anniversary should be an opportunity for sober reflection by political leaders.

    Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Comrade Ayuba Wabba said those calling for seccession should rethink their actions as there is strength in unity.

    Wabba said: “When all seems down and out, we always find ways of overcoming our adversaries. As we mark this year’s anniversary in the midst of a recessionary economy, and amid massive suffering and unprecedented challenges in the polity, we must keep faith, that we will overcome our difficulties and challenges, and, ultimately, triumph over our socio-economic and political challenges.

    “As the biggest black nation on earth, we owe it as a duty to the black race, both on the continent and in the diaspora, to build a united and prosperous nation.”

    Wabba pointed out that conflict would hurt everybody, particularly workers, pensioners and their families.

    According to him, dialogue remains the best formula for conflict resolution.

    “Thus, those fanning the embers of disunity need to be discouraged and schooled on the realities of war. In the same vein, we appeal to all  Nigerians not to fall for the glamorisation of conflict or war as a solution to our self-inflicted crisis,” he added.

    Wabba called on Nigerians to  fight those promoting division, adding that they are fighting for their vested interests.

    He said: “Let us, therefore, not allow them to use poor Nigerian workers, pensioners and peasants as cannon fodders for their selfish interests. The desperate but vocal few cannot and should not be allowed to speak for the majority of us.”

    According to Wabba, labour has,  over the decades, stood for one Nigeria, right from its founding fathers who were in the frontline of the struggle for independence, through leaders who led the masses to fight against the imposition of neo-liberal policies by military dictatorships.

    Wabba said: “Our common enemy, and whom we must all resolve to face, remains the corrupt political class, who instead of utilising the God-endowed wealth of our nation, choose to loot it for themselves and their children thereby depriving us of decent living and inflicting on us a scarred collective psychology that is predominantly negative, hostile and unproductive.

    “On our part, we are determined to stop our elites and their lackeys from throwing us into another avoidable civil war.”

    TUC President Comrade Bobboi Kaigama condemned the clamour for restructuring.

    He reaffirmed TUC’s commitment to the unity of the country, but opposed politically-motivated restructuring.

    According to Kaigama, a fragmented Nigeria would not serve any good. He said there was nothing to celebrate as all was still not well with the country.

    The TUC chief criticised the excessive spending by some politicians who travel overseas without  replicating the amenities they enjoy abroad at home.

    Kaigama said: “It is laughable that our leaders travel abroad but do not replicate what they see and enjoy over there. Why will the country not be hit by recession when politicians spend 80 per cent of their jumbo pay in buying properties in Dubai, United Kingdom, United States and South Africa, among others?

    “How can the education sector run a full session without strikes when the children of politicians school abroad? The deplorable state of our roads is not a priority because they fly.

    “When the system favours them they make no comments, but when it is otherwise they import arms and assemble youths to distabilise the system. The crises and agitations we see everywhere today are outcome of disenchantment.

    Kaigama said the nation’s  key functionaries and institutions must be made to work like elsewhere.

    NLC Lagos State chapter chairman Comrade Idowu Adelakan attributed the high rate of crime to unemployment among youths.

    “As such, nothing calls for celebrating the country’s independence anniversary since some states are still unable to comply with the minimum wage of N18,000. Most states are still owing workers and pensioners their salaries.

    “As far as we are concerned, the governors are not willing to pay, and it is not because they cannot pay. We believe they can pay. They only believe in awarding contracts, which is their major priority,” he said.

  • Fed Govt to replace foreigners with locals

    The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Joseph Ari,  has expressed worry over the number of foreigners in some sectors.

    He said the situation not only posed danger, but threatened the attainment of key government policies.

    Speaking at the kick-off of the National Industrial Skills Development Programme in Awka, Anambra State, Ari said the Federal Government had commenced the replacement of foreigners with Nigerians, who had acquired skills for such jobs.

    He said the programme was aimed at instilling skills in Nigerians, particularly the youth, to stimulate economic recovery and growth.

    “It is worrisome that despite the number of Nigerians without work, several surveys, including those conducted by the ITF, have revealed that vacancies exist in some sectors of the economy that are currently being filled by persons other than Nigerians because of the lack of requisite technical skills of our people.

    “It was with a view of arresting this problem, which represents not only a clear and present danger, but also threatens the attainment of key government policies that the ITF conceived the idea of NISDP,” he said.

  • Aremu opposes proposed Pension Reform Act amendment

    Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) chieftain Issa Aremu  has advised stakeholders to reject the proposed controversial bill seeking to exclude the Police, Customs, Civil Defenders, Immigration and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from the Contributory Pension Scheme.

    The bill, being sponsored by a House of Represtatives member,  Oluwole Oke, has passed second reading.

    In a statement in Kaduna, Aremu, also the chairman of the Interim Management Committee of First Guarantee Pension Fund Administrator, said Pension Reform Acts of 2004 and 2014, were outcomes of executive bills, which addressed the delicate interests of pensioners, government and the economy.

    He added that a private-member bill informed by “narrow and vested interest consideration” could not do justice to all.

    The labour leader also said any private-member bill, which seeks to erode the gains of the 13-year-old N7 trillion contributory pension scheme, in terms of coverage and resource pools, is “counterproductive” and should not be encouraged.

    He said pensions of the workers in security services were better secured in a national contributory scheme than the old “unfunded and unsustainable, discredited  Defined Benefits Scheme (DBS).”

    According to Aremu, until the recent contributory pension reform, all stakeholders bore witness to ugly features of corruption, inefficiency and share looting, which he claimed characterised  the old DBS.

    He added that to return to the old era means “bringing back corruption to pension administration through the National Assembly”.

    He advised the National Assembly  against what he called  ”the pitfalls  of frequent  self-serving out sourced amendments” of the Pension Act.

    He observed that the pension Act has just been amended through executive/all inclusive review two years ago, adding that with all it’s globally acknowledged successes the contributory pension covers only seven million workers. He added that to  further ask for exclusion of the security agencies only undermines the scheme with all the attendant negative implications for Nigerian economy just coming out of recession.

    Aremu, therefore, called all National Assembly members to reject the bill, saying it would not do any one any good.

  • NISDP: ITF training 11,000 youths 

    NISDP: ITF training 11,000 youths 

    As part of its continued efforts to create jobs in line with the policy thrust of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has commenced the training of 11,000 youths nationwide under the National Industrial Skills Development Programme (NISDP).

    The training, which commenced last week, is the second phase of the 2016 NISDP, which trained 10,000 youths from 18 states. Under this phase, 300 youths, each from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), will be equipped with requisite skills in tailoring and fashion designing, plumbing and pipe fitting and welding and fabrication. Reports from across the 3,700 centres, indicated that all the expected trainees have turned up for the exercise.

    In a release by Head, Public Affairs Unit of the ITF , Suleyol Fred Chagu, said in order to ensure that trainees of the programme realise their potentials and dreams, supporting equipment in the trade areas will be provided to all trainees as starter pack, adding that this will serve as empowerment for all participants.

    The ITF urged all the selected trainees to make good use of the opportunity by displaying high level of commitment throughout the period of training in order to achieve the intended result.

    “The NISDP, which is the hard skills component of the National Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP), has equipped over 100,000 Nigerians with skills for employability and entrepreneurship,” she said.

  • Wage structure needs review, says Obi of Onitsha

    Wage structure needs review, says Obi of Onitsha

    The Obi of Onitsha, Alfred Achebe, has said workers’ wage and salary structure should be reviewed to stop professionals from leaving the country.

    Achebe  said it was a tragedy for members of the political elite to determine their wage structure, while workers in the country cannot.

    He said this at the 36th convocation of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN), which held in Ijanikin, Lagos.

    According to him, Nigerian doctors. after getting their training locally, become expatriates in various countries, which reveals the shortcoming of wages and infrastructural systems in the country.

    “Doctors should be well rewarded as they are special due to what they do and it was this realisation that stopped me from studying medicine, though I was admitted to study it, but I went for chemistry,”he said.

    He said though traditional rulers voices were getting smaller, he would do something about the situation by talking to the authorities.

    The college President, Prof. Ademola Olaitan, said though doctors going abroad was pathetic, there was nothing that could be done as they (doctors) have to feed themselves and work in conducive environments.

    He said: “Part of the mandate of the college is to prevent human capital flight in the medical sector, which we have succeeded in doing by convoking 387 fellows this year, aside those convoked in previous years and saving the nation, millions of dollars.”

    He said it was a shame that industrial action is the only language government listens to.

    “Industrial actions are not encouraged as it disrupts work and placements by doctors into various teaching hospitals which does not allow for fulfillment of the prescribed minimum period of clinical placements and rotations that qualified them for examinations,” he said.

    Olaitan urged the government to reconstitute the Board of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) as the body had operated without a council for the past two years when the board was dissolved. He noted that reconstitution will allow the council to perform its statutory functions, which are crucial to the smooth running of medical services.

    The guest speaker, Prof Obiora Onuba, who spoke on the theme: “Medical Management of Terrorist Bombing of Nigerian Civilians;” Lessons to Learn”,  said doctors must have training in treating victims of terrorist acts as only a few doctors have experience in a true mass casualty attack.

  • NASU threatens Fed Govt over minimum wage

    NASU threatens Fed Govt over minimum wage

    • Urges conclusion of negotiation before December

    The Federal Government may have more to contend with in the area of industrial unrest, if it fails to commence negotiations on the minimum wage and conclude it before the end of the year.

    The threat, coming from the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), may not be an empty one, bearing in mind that the union, last week, suspended for a month its five-week nationwide strike, in conjunction with two other non-teaching staff unions in universities – the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).

    The union, at its national executive council meeting in Abuja, called on the government to give mandate to the tripartite committee on minimum wage to start work immediately and finish before the end of the year, failing which it has called on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to mobilise workers to demand for the minimum wage.

    NASU President Chris Ani said the Federal Government had refused to show good faith in its dealings with workers on the issue of the minimum wage.

    Labour and Employment Minister Senator Chris Ngige had, in June, at this year’s International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva, Switzerland, assured labour leaders that the committee would be convened in two weeks, which ought to have been before the end of June.

    Ani lamented that workers were under the burden of a slave wage, which cannot meet their daily needs. “They cannot nourish their children and cannot educate them because the ruling class is bent on the commercialisation of education,” he said.

    He reasoned that now that the government has announced that the country is out of recession, nothing should stall the review of the minimum wage.

    He said:“In the last couple of weeks, there have been series of media reports that Nigeria is now out of recession. We have also watched government officials on television confirming and celebrating what we have read and heard in the media.

    “We, therefore, join other Nigerians to congratulate the government and relevant officials for bringing the country out of recession. While it lasted, issues that had to do with workers’ welfare were relegated to the background. The period was characterised by wage freeze, increase in job insecurity, shortfalls and delays in the payment of salaries, and withholding of other benefits of workers.

    “That is why we are congratulating the government for bringing the country out of recession. However, we in NASU, will only join them in the celebration when workers’ welfare improves, jobs are secured, salaries are paid in full as and when due, wage increase is de-frozen and other withheld benefits are paid.”

    Condemning what he termed government’s ineptitude to grow the productive sector that will create jobs for the unemployed, NASU warned that the union would resist any policy aimed at taking away the jobs of its members, thereby sending them into the labour market.

    NASU also berated governors, who were still owing workers in their states, despite several bailouts, urging the NLC to direct workers to ensure aa total close down of states where salaries are owed for more than two months.

  • Govt to reposition Michael Imoudu Labour Institute

    Govt to reposition Michael Imoudu Labour Institute

    The Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment is to collaborate with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to reposition the Michael Imoudu Institute for Labour Studies, to train the manpower neded in all sectors of the economy.

    Minister of State for Labour and Employment Prof. Stephen Ocheni, who made this known to a group of select journalists in his office, said the Ministry would approach the NBTE and other accreditation agencies to come and inspect the institution and tell them what is required to bring it to standard.

    Ocheni said the ministry would also set a daily target for its workers, adding that there is going to be a reorientation in the ministry if it must attain the growth plan of the President.

    He said: “The Ministry has a Labour Institute which is a training arm. It is my desire to ensure that the institute is strengthened further to be able to offer programmes and award certificates that are not only needed in the Labour Ministry, but will be of immense benefit to other ministries and agencies in the entire public service.

    “For example, if you are running a certificate in Labour Inspection or in any other aspect of Labour and management, we can strengthen the institution in collaboration with other government agencies that are responsible for the accreditation of such programmes, such that qualifications obtained from there will be acceptable to other employers of labour in the country.

    “We are going to do this by collaborating with institutions like the National Board for Technical Education. We can appeal to them to come and inspect the facilities in our training institute and tell us what we need to do to meet their standard. If we are able to meet their standard, we may aspire to award diploma certificates that are comparable to diplomas awarded by Polytechnics and colleges  of technologies in the country.

    “By so doing, we are strengthening the institutional capacity of the training institute and at the same time, producing graduates that are acceptable to other sectors of the economy. We must not train ourselves and our staff for only the Labour Ministry. We will try as much as possible to diversity the knowledge that will be acquired from that institute so that they will be of benefit to other employers.

    “There are other short seminar and trainings that can improve in the employee productivity. We should, as much as possible be able to embrace the private sector orientation.”

    Ocheni said there should be daily target for civil servants, saying there is going to be a total reorientation in the ministry if we must attain the goal of economic recovering and growth plan of the President.

    “We must work hand-in-hand to ensure the success of this economic recovery and growth plan. It is not for the politicians alone, neither is it for public office holders alone.

    Civil servants have a role to play in the realisation of the objective of government’s plan for total economic recovery of this country.

  • Union kicks against appointments in NIMET

    Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) has condemned recent appointment at the Nigeria Metrological Agency (NIMET), saying they undermine professionalism in the agency.

    The union is demanding a reversal of the appointments made by the Minister of State, Aviation, saying it will not fold its hands and watch strange individuals be impose on the agency.

    In a statement signed by the General Secretary, Yusuf Lekke Zambuk, the union said failure of the government to reverse the appointments may result in a breakdown of the existing industrial harmony in the agency.

    He said the appointment of non- career professionals into key technical and scientific directorate positions in the agency is bound to hinder productivity, professionalism and also demoralise eligible career professionals for their rightful positions within the agency.

    The union, however, calls on the Federal Government as a matter of urgency, to reverse the appointment.

    Zambuk said letters had been written to the Office of the Acting President of the Federation, the Minister of State for Aviation, and the Minister of Labour and Employment in on the matter, but no response had been received.

  • N720b subsidy arrears: PENGASSAN alerts on impending mass sack

    N720b subsidy arrears: PENGASSAN alerts on impending mass sack

    The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has called on the Federal Government to settle all debts allegedly owed oil marketers to avert job losses.

    The union said it believed that the payment would engender growth of not only the downstream sector, but all sectors in the industry and develop the economy.

    The senior staff trade union made the call against the backdrop of the threat by the marketers to embark on massive retrenchment of their  employees, if the government refuses settle the over N720 billion subsidy arrears.

    The debts, according to the marketers, are among the outstanding subsidy owed importers of petroleum products, accrued interest on loans from banks and exchange rate differentials, which made them halt importation of refined petroleum products, leaving only the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as sole importers.

    A statement signed by the PENGASSAN National Public Relations Officer, Mr. Fortune Obi, urged the government to verify  the claims by the oil marketers and ensure quick settlement of genuine debts.

    “The government should try to separate the genuine claims by the importers from spurious ones and pay them accordingly because we will not like to be engulfed in the mistakes of the past where briefcase marketers milked the nation through dubious subsidy claims.

    “A situation where the workers in the industry bear the brunt of the government failure to honour its obligations as part of the importation deal will be unfair and unacceptable to our Association.

    This is against the President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s major policy of job creation,” Obi said.

    He said as much as PENGASSAN would support any move by the government to end subsidy regime and spurious claims by the marketers, it was also canvassing  the payment of debts that could hinder the downstream sector’s growth and attract investments into the sector.

    Obi noted that in the last five years, workforce in the downstream sector, especially the marketing sub sector, depleted by over 70 per cent, adding: “most of them were thrown into the already over-bloated labour market.”