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Tag: agreements

  • Group threatens strike over non-implementation of agreements

    The Council of Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions(SSAUTHRIAI) has threatened to down tools over alleged non-implementation its agreement with the Federal Government.

    The agreement was signed under the auspices of  the auspices of Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU).

    In a communiqué after its meeting at the Federal Medical Centre, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, Ogun State, the Council urged the Federal Government to expedite action on, among others, the adjusted CONHESS, the review of retirement age from 60 to 65 years, and release funds to settle all disputed issues to prevent another crisis in the sector.

    In the communique signed by the Sector Chairman, Comrade M. O. Ogundipe, and  Sector Secretary  Comrade Ademola Olajire, the Council said: “We use this medium to call on Mr. President to prevail on the Minister of Health and other government agencies to implement the agreements they reached with unions rather than threatening them with the ‘No work, no pay’ policy,’’ adding that this could not prevent industrial crises but rather aggravate it.

    The Council noted that the statement credited to Health Minister, Prof Isaac Adewole, that “there was no agreement between the Federal Government and JOHESU”, when he addressed unions at the OAUTHC, Ile-Ife, was an attempt to incite unions against the JOHESU leaders.

    It advised the Minister to cross- check before making a statement, maintaining that it was on record that there were agreements between the FGN and JOHESU, even before Adewole assumed duties.

    It noted the non-payment of arrears of promotion between 2011 and last year), relativity allowance and others due to union members by the various managements of tertiary hospitals, urging the Federal Government to release funds for the payment of all outstanding arrears or else the Union may embark on industrial action.

    The communiqué stated that the Council noted the Adewole’s unwillingness to address the issue of tenure expiration of some chief executives of tertiary health institutions, appealing to the President to address the mater. It  drew the attention of  the tenure of the Medical Director of FMC, Jalingo.

    It urged the President to implement the Danjuma Kurau Committee Report on: “Renewals of tenure of chief executives of parastatals/agencies under the supervision of the Ministry of Health.”

    The Council described as worrisome the action of the ministry in directing that promotion of its members, who had skipped CONHESS 10, should be on the same grade level.

    “This directive is not only absurd, but also negates the dictates of the Public Service Rules. Council, therefore, calls on the Minister to reverse the directive.

    The communiqué stated that the Council received reports of non-payment of retirement benefits to retirees over one year after they disengaged from service, despite that they had contributed to their retirement. It hoped that the contributory pension scheme would not be like the previous one.

    “The continued delay in the remittance of monthly contributions to employees’ Retirement Savings Accounts (RSA) by employers as well as the failure of the Federal Government to release the accrued rights has complicated their situation. Council, therefore, calls on the various establishments and the Federal Government to promptly remit the necessary fund to the Retirement Savings Accounts of all workers.

    “We observed with dismay the challenges facing workers and the citizens due to the recession, dearth of physical infrastructure, insecurity, lack of adequate healthcare facilities, poor water supply, and unemployment/underemployment.

    ‘’Most damning is the dismal ranking of Nigeria by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which places us at par with war-torn countries. We call on the  government to take urgent steps to address these issues to improve the quality of life of the average Nigerian citizen before it is too late,” it added.

  • Most govt agreements with unions unimplementable, says Ngige

    Most govt agreements with unions unimplementable, says Ngige

    Minister of Labour and Employment Dr. Chris Ngige has said some of the agreements entered into by government with labour unions  are not implementable due to dwindling national resources.

    The minister, who spoke when he recovered new leadership of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) led by its President, Prof. Mike Ogirima, called for a review of some of those agreements in the interest of industrial peace and harmony.

    The minister said: “I have gone through previous agreements and discovered that because budgetary provisions were not made for so many of the resolutions agreed upon with the past administrations, the present government finds it difficult to implement. I will therefore advise that previous agreements be revisited so that those that are practicable would be implemented now.

    “The NMA being the topmost association in the health sector should engage in constant interface with affiliate bodies in other to achieve a holistic review of all previous agreements in a manner that reflects the nation’s present economic situation. We must face the reality that government earnings have plunged to about 25 per cent of what they were under previous administrations.”

    Ngige challenged the NMA to restore the nobility of the medical profession for which civilisations equated doctors with being next to God, adding that the comment by the President that the image of the Nigerian doctors has fared badly of late was a source of concern.

    “We must restore the nobility of this profession for which most civilizations regard medical doctors as being next to God. The President remarked recently that the image of the Nigerian doctors has fared badly lately and I agree with him. Some of us hardly abide by the Hippocratic oaths that we took. Time therefore calls for a new beginning. This newly elected EXCO has very big task ahead.”

    Ogirima told the minister that the new leadership of the NMA has keyed into the change mantra of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He said: “NMA is not a labour union, we are a professional body and that’s why when NLC called unions out recently, we did not join because we take care of essential services.”

  • Why govt should respect agreements, by NLNG chief

    Why govt should respect agreements, by NLNG chief

    IT is vital for the Federal Government to respect the sanctity of agreements with investors, so Nigeria will not be seen as a nation that breaks agreements, the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) has said.

    Its Managing Director, Babs Omotowa, said this at a public hearing of the House of Representatives Committee on Gas Resources. The hearing was on a bill to amend the NLNG Act so that it will begin to pay the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) levies.

    He, however, reiterated the commitment of the company to partnering government agencies, including the (NDDC), to develop the Niger Delta, adding that it was  why the NLNG is one of the biggest promoters of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the area, supporting education, infrastructure development and entrepreneurship.

    He said: “As evidence of our commitment to the development of the Niger Delta, NLNG has spent $177 million in the areas of infrastructure, education etc in the region.  So it is not an issue of reluctance to support Niger Delta, but one of ensuring we work within the confines of the law and honour agreements and promises to maintain the valued reputation of our country in international business.

    “NLNG needs to be in the position to continue to support the region through being a successful Nigerian company, bringing value to the Delta and the nation in general, but that this would only be possible if the promises made to investors are not broken by amending the NLNG Act, which would certainly portray the country as one that does not honour agreements. Keeping agreements entered into with investors was crucial to retaining and attracting foreign investment into NLNG, as well as other sectors of the economy in line with the drive of the current administration.

    “The intervention of NLNG, more than any other single factor, has led to the progressive decline in Nigeria’s gas flaring profile over the years, from well over 65 per cent in the 1990s, to less than 20 per cent today. Therefore,2 aside from the fact that the company is earning revenue for the Federal Government and its other shareholders, it is cleaning up the Niger Delta environment in the process.

    “It goes without saying that the NLNG Act has been pivotal to the commencement of the project in the first place, and for the huge success the company has represented for Nigeria, with the country reaping over US$33 billion from its initial investment of US$2.5billion. The Act enabled the company to grow from its original 2-Trains to 6-Trains, creating an asset base of US$19 billion, 49 per cent of which the Federal Government owns.”

    He noted that the incentives which have been granted to NLNG are not peculiar to Nigeria. They were granted to encourage investments in gas utilisation to reduce flaring which had become a major problem for the country. Examples of similar incentive initiatives abound in Angola (12 years), Oman, Malaysia, Qatar and Trinidad (up to 10 years). Other more generous incentive schemes also exist in Nigeria, in the Free Trade Zones.

    Omotowa said the current amendment effort is most unusual as it attempts to enforce the payment of a levy from which an entity is expressly exempted by a valid and subsisting legislation in which the Federal Government of Nigeria gave unequivocal undertakings and declarations that induced significant investments.

    “As far as we are aware, this is the first time in the history of legislative practice in Nigeria that a proposal is being made to amend a law for the sole purpose of imposing a levy against a company for the benefit of an agency of government. We urge the honourable Committee not to lend itself to the establishment of an unjust precedent. To do otherwise would be to encourage other agencies of government who fail to make their case in judicial proceedings in court, to resort to legislative engineering to achieve what they failed to obtain in court,” he added.

  • Govt extends port concession agreements

    The Federal Government has extended its agreements with some of the terminal operators due to their satisfactory performance and their improved level of investments, The Nation has learnt.

    One of the affected concessionaires, it was gathered, is at Tin-Can Island Port, Apapa, Lagos.

    The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Mallam Habib Abdullahi confirmed the extension granted some of the terminal operators.

    Abdulalahi, who spoke while receiving the Director-General,  Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Aminu Diko in his office, last week did not name the beneficiary firms

    He, however, praised the Commission for being alive to its responsibility, saying  he would give it the opportunity to get first-hand information on the challenges of port concession and listen to observations from concessionaires.

    While assuring the ICRC of cooperation, he directed the Monitoring and Compliance Division of NPA to  submit a copy of its quarterly reports to the ICRC.

    Abdullahi announced that a Public-Private-Partnership department would be established in NPA to cater for investors’ interests at the seaports.

  • Expert seeks review of bilateral agreements in agric

    Expert seeks review of bilateral agreements in agric

    World Bank Consultant, Prof Abel Ogunwale, has urged the Federal  Government to review  its bilateral and regional trade agreements to ensure they create jobs and opportunities for Nigerians  in the agric sector.

    In an interview, Ogunwale of  Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Ladoke Akintola University, Ogbomosho, Oyo State, said  bilateral and regional trade agreements are meant for development and so  that the  government should  negotiate trade agreements at the multilateral, regional and, bilateral and domestic levels, that will best promote longer term sustainable and inclusive development objectives across the agric sector.

    He said the incoming regime should pursue international agreements that will with domestic policy to foster increased productivity, decent job creation and higher standards of living for all, in a sustainable and equitable manner.

    While preserving regional integrity has been a key challenge in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Ogunwale said there is need  to  promote  items  support integration processes and boost the possibility of building regional value chains.

    He  said efforts  should be  directed at boosting  intra-Africa trade and  that  particular attention should also be paid to new mega trade deals, which will have a significant impact on  agriculture, trade flows and investment.

    He stressed the key role that private sector,  would play in bringing such  agreements into life, by  translating new trade opportunities into effective business relations.

    While acknowledging that addressing  challenges in a multilateral trade round requires time, Ogunwale urged the government to take urgent actions to address barriers, using all available trade and agricultural policy vehicles to improve regional and international markets for food.

    In addition, he advocated  capacity building and technical assistance programmes to facilitate removal of agricultural trade barriers, improve supply chains and increase farmers’ access to markets, including complying with trade rules and regulations,  complex sanitary and phytosanitary standards.

    With a new regime coming in place, he said there should an aggressive free trade agenda in agriculture where the government   will ensure the United States, European Union  and South Africa  to  open their markets up to Nigerian  agric produce and the right to define its own agricultural policies  to meet its domestic needs.

  • Reps probe JV agreements with IOCs

    Reps probe JV agreements with IOCs

    The House of Representatives has requested from the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), details of Joint Venture Agreements (JVA) with International Oil Companies (IOCs).

    House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream) yesterday, gave the management of the agency up till November 18 to appear with the details of its cash call budget performance for 2013.

    NAPIMS, one of the subsidiaries of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is responsible for managing Federal Government’s investment in the upstream sector of the oil and gas industry.

    Also expected to appear before the Committee and join NAPIMS in defense of their cash call budget performance are the the Managing Directors of Shell Petroleum Development Company Limited (SPDC), Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, Chevron Nigeria Limited, Total Exploration and Production Nigeria limited, Nigeria AGIP Oil Company Limited (NAOC), and Pan Ocean Oil Corporation.

    The Chairman of the committee, Muraina Ajibola said the Chief Executives of the IOCs must present all documents relating to the cash calls on November 14.

    “Tracking of the cash calls is necessary for our committee so that we can judiciously followed it, We need this information for us to do our job properly.

    “Monitoring the JVAs as it relate to the cash calls is necessary for the committee to scrutinize, so that Nigerian people are not shortchanged through the cash calls agreement with the IOCs,” he noted.

  • 2015: Arewa asks Jonathan to honour agreements

    2015: Arewa asks Jonathan to honour agreements

    President Goodluck Jonathan got yesterday a piece of advice – he should respect agreements he entered into with stakeholders.

    This, to the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), is a way of addressing the problems within the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which conveys the impression that the party is at war.

    ACF spokesman, Anthony Sani, told The Nation exclusively that President Jonathan has enough time between now and 2015 to address the problem, adding that the events in the party are not healthy for the growth of democracy.

    The ACF is a pan-Northern socio-political organisation.

    Sani, who was reacting to the visit of Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and others to some past leaders, said the Forum believed that the governors want to be carried along in the management of the party.

    He said: “Our understanding of the G-5 governors is that they want governors to be carried along in the management of their party, they want internal democracy and they want an end to divisions as well as internal democracy within the party, and for President Jonathan to respect agreements he entered into voluntarily with stakeholders.

    Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu, has said that President Jonathan entered into an agreement with Northern leaders to spend only one term in office.

    The Niger governor urged the President to honour the agreement by not seeking reelection.

    But Presidency official have denied the existence of such an agreement, insisting, however that the President is yet to declare interest in running for a second term.

    “The five governors may not be totally wrong, considering the happenings in the ruling party, which convey an impression that PDP is at war with itself, which is unhealthy. More frustrating is the inability of 35 governors to elect their leaders, which some people believe is pointing to what will happen in 2015. But I hope Mr President has enough time to bring the situation under control before 2015.”

    Sani said the registration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would open up the democratic space and offer Nigerians alternatives during elections.

    Said Sani: “The registration of APC gladdened our heart because it could bring about a viable alternative platform to the ruling party, since democracy without a viable opposition is a sham.

    “More so that ACF has recommended a two-party system for the country, with clear choices on how to assume responsibility for real issues of real concern to real Nigerians. Before now, Nigeria claimed to operate a multiparty democracy, yet all the parties have been mere clones of one another.

    “As a result, the choice for the voters has been reduced from which party could deliver on the promise of democracy to which party had the capacity to win elections. We hope the registration of APC will arrest such a trend by enriching the polity with democratic tenets for public good”.

    Sani also said that the ACF believed that “President Obasanjo may not be totally wrong to submit that the feckless performance of leaders in our climes is at its worst with the younger generation, since the younger generations have been in the driver’s seat for quite some time now without sign posts to improvement.

    “All we hear are security challenges posed by insurgents, by armed robbers, kidnappers, baby factory, militant activism, piracy, unemployment and corruption, that have combined to steal Nigerians’ empowerment, their opportunities and their future.

    “That is why Nigeria carts home gold medals in Misery Indices and brings up the rear in Human Development Index. And this is made possible because the youths who are more in number and can bring about good leadership in a democracy have failed to make judicious use of their democratic rights and ensure that votes count so that the leaders who emerge would be accountable to the people. Once votes do not count, the leaders would not account to the people.”

    To Sani, the renewed killings by the Boko Haram Islamic sect, are “not surprising because terrorism is driven by the highest commitment of those who believe they have nothing to gain anymore in living on earth, but more to gain in death. “And so, nobody expected the task of subduing the sect would be a tea party.”

    “You recall when America overran terrorists in Iraq and deposed President Saddam Hussein, President George Bush boasted that it was, “Mission accomplished with precision”, without knowing that would be the beginning of more than 10 years campaigns that would cost America 4,400 soldiers and over $800 billion.Terrorism is still in Iraq after America has left.

    “We believe the government knows that the use of force that goes with declaration of state of emergency was meant to reclaim those local government areas seized by the sect, and not that the use of force could contain their activities to some satisfactory level.

    “And that is why there are still consciously directed efforts by the government to bring the sect into the negotiation table. And that is why ACF encourages the Federal Government to pursue the option of dialogue with those members of the sect who are agreeable to it in the hope that the extreme reluctant members may join as the process progresses.

    “We also call on members of the sect to stop the killings of innocent people and embrace dialogue as the only viable option that can address their perceived grievances. Force does not bring about peace because peace is not absence of conflicts but ability to resolve conflict peacefully.

    “ACF was among the groups which pressurised ASUU to dialogue with the government that brought about the agreement being bandied about. As a mark of good faith, one would expect the government to respect and implement the agreements with stakeholders.

    “But if the prevailing circumstance makes it almost impossible for government to implement the agreement, one expects ASUU to know and understand. It is against this backdrop that the ACF calls on both parties to come to terms with reality and make ASUU call off the strike in the interest of the students .

    The ACF recommended “the scrapping of the Joint Account, which has been abused by state governments at the expense of socio economic development of the people who are closest to local governments, provided some provisions are made on how state governments can make laws to help in effective and efficient management of local governments”.