The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ayuba Waba

  • JOHESU paralyses activities at Ministry of Health

    Health workers under the aegis of Joint Health Workers Union ( JOHESU ) paralysed activities at the Federal Ministry of Health Monday, demanding immediate implementation of the collective agreement reached with workers.

    The protesting JOHESU members also called for a holistic turn around the health sector to enable Nigerians have access to quality healthcare.

    They kicked against unjustified withholding of the salaries of JOHESU members for the months of April and May 2018 and also called for upward adjustment of CONHESS salary structure.

    The workers according to a staff of the ministry, arrived at the ministry complex in large number carrying placards with several inscriptions, threatened to mobilize Nigerian workers to come out with their mattresses, pillows and cooking utensils to the Federal Secretariat Abuja and also the houses of the Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole in both Abuja and his village in Osun state.

    Read Also: Strike: JOHESU issues seven-day ultimatum

    Addressing the workers, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Waba who decried the discrimination being meted to health workers in the country said for peace to reign in the sector, there must be justice adding that has written to the President, Minister of health and the Minister of Labour and Productivity on the need to resolve the dispute in the health sector but has not received any response from them.

    Waba who criticized the Minister of Health for implementing No work No Pay rule in the health sector said, “The law of No work No Pay is a military decree. It is decree 54 of 1977. No government in the history of Nigeria either military or civilian has implemented it. Why should it then be implemented if they didn’t implement collective bargaining agreement. He who goes to equity must go with clean hands. Therefore you cannot benefit all and all that we have already also violated another law

    “We will continue to fight. Let us be ready. Anytime you hear that we are reconvening here, you should come with your mattress and pillow. We are going to get people to cook here, we will sleep here. The minister has said that he doesn’t want peace in the health sector he cannot also have peace in his family, village and wherever he is. I want to assure you that we cannot be deterred. Nobody can associate your action which is legitimate to any political association.

    Also speaking, JOHESU President, Josiah Biobelemoye, said the peaceful protest was in response to deliberate attempt by the health minister to disrespect various agreements government reached with the health workers.

    He observed that the union’s plan was to locked down the ministry and occupy it till their requests were met, but they toned down their action because of the intervention by the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

    He said, “Most worrisome was that they have violated several parts of the order of the National Industrial Court. They have equally implemented no work no pay, which was contrary to the suggestions of the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) team.

    “We never requested for equality. We only requested for equity. We ought to have commenced a nationwide strike on Monday or Tuesday, but swift intervention came from a highly respected clergyman over the weekend, who pleaded for more time to intervene.

    “We have agreed to soft pedal and watch the outcome of the intervention this week. We won’t hesitate to embark on a strike by the end of this week if we fail to get positive response.”

  • Nkah urges Waba to recognise him as NLC chairman in Ebonyi

    Nkah urges Waba to recognise him as NLC chairman in Ebonyi

    Mr Leonard Nkah, Acting Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC ), Ebonyi chapter, has asked the National President of the union, Ayuba Waba, to recognise him as the authentic chairman in the state.

    Nkah, in a letter to the NLC President, written by his lawyer, Mr Roy Nwaeze, said that the former Chairman, Ikechukwu Nwafor, was constitutionally removed from office.

    Nkah in the letter made available in Abuja, said that Nwafor was removed from office on March 15, 2017, for failure to give account of his stewardship.

    “The Ebonyi NLC executive met, with a quorum of more the 60 per cent, deliberated on the misconduct of Nwafor and his failure and neglect to render account of his stewardship and resolved to suspend him indefinitely.

    Read also: NLC tells workers to vote out defaulting governors

    “ Nwafor was ordered to surrender all the property of the Ebonyi NLC to Nkah.

    “ Notwithstanding the suspension, and even though Nkah had effectively taken over, Nwafor has refused till date, to surrender all the property of Ebonyi NLC to Nkah or render account of his stewardship.’’

    Nwaeze said that rather than hand over as ordered by the NLC executive; Nwafor went to court to challenge his removal.

    He said that one of the prayers sought in the Suit No. NICN/ABK/01/2017, in the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Enugu, was to restrain Nkah, from parading himself as acting chairman, a prayer the court did not grant in its ruling on Nov. 15.

    “ The consequent legal effect of the refusal is that Nkah remains the acting chairman, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

    “ All parties are under compulsive obligation to obey and not derogate from same,’’ Nwaeze noted.

    He urged the NLC president to accord recognition to Nkah, since the facts are clear.

    “ We respectfully demand that you recognise Nkah as acting chairman and cease from further recognizing Nwafor as NLC chairman in Ebonyi, pending determination of Suit No. NICN/ABK/01/2017.’’

    Nwaeze said that he took time to explain issues to avoid being compelled to “ initiate contempt proceeding against any person acting contrary to the court order.

    NAN

  • Wabba to governors: Make workers’ welfare priority

    Wabba to governors: Make workers’ welfare priority

    National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Waba, on Tuesday asked the nation’s state governors to make workers welfare their priority.

    Waba said some states have enough resources to adequately cater for the welfare of workers but failed to attend to their needs because they did not make the issue of workers welfare a priority.

    The NLC boss made this known in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, at the opening ceremony of the meeting of the National Executive Council of the NLC.

    He noted that workers are partners in the project in ensuring good governance and political stability, saying governors should encourage the workers by paying their salaries and allowances promptly.”

    “It is not that some states cannot pay their workers’ salaries as and when due, but it depends on their priority.

    “Some governors see workers welfare as a priority, while some others do not.

    “However, it must stress that workers are partners in the Nigerian project. We believe in good governance and stability of the polity.

    “We will support the Federal Government on good governance and political stability,” Waba said.

    He lauded Ogun State Government for making workers welfare its priority through prompt payment of salaries, however, appealed to him, to clear the backlogs of deductions of the workers.

    He also appealed to him to reinstate the sacked labour leader in the state – the state NLC chairman, Akeem Ambali, urging   the Governor to “forgive and forget.”

    On his own part, Ambali, lauded the state governor for the infrastructural development of the state, making it an investors destination of choice.

    He also appealed to the governor to clear the backlogs of deductions of the civil servants, and contributory pension.

    The governor pledged to continue to make workers welfare his priority, adding that his administration would not leave any stone unturned in the areas of regular payment of workers’ salaries.

  • Non-payment of workers’ salaries unacceptable – NLC

    Non-payment of workers’ salaries unacceptable – NLC

    The president of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Waba, on Friday said the union will no longer condone the maltreatment of  workers by some governors who refused to pay salaries.

    Waba said this during the opening ceremony of the 3rd National Delegate Conference of the Judicial Workers’ Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) in Katsina.

    “We are aware that some governors have not paid their workers’ salaries and pensions for the past seven months,” the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted the NLC president as saying at the conference.

    “We have directed our chairmen in the 36 states to start protecting their members that have been denied their monthly wages.

    “Some state governors are only interested in paying contractors with the objective of receiving gratifications from them.

    “The NLC will not fold its arms and allow such governors to continue having a field day, while toying with the lives of civil servants.

    “The NLC will give support to any state chairman who direct his workers to go on strike, the time has come for no retreat, no surrender by NLC.”

    Waba commended the officials and members of JUSUN for their maturity in conducting the delegate conference without rancour.