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Tag: Ayuba Wabba

  • NLC to Ngige: Promote social dialogue, tripartiam

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has asked the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige to use the opportunity of his reappointment to promote social dialogue and tripartism in the place of work.

    In a congratulatory letter to the Minister signed by its President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba also asked the Minister to see his appointment as a clarion call to help in promoting decent work conditions and harmonious industrial relations in Nigeria.

    A statement signed by the Deputy Director (Press) in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Charles Akpan quoted Wabba as saying that Ngige’s re-appointment speaks volume of the confidence President Buhari reposes on him to steer the affairs of the Ministry towards the upliftment of Nigerians from poverty, indignity and indecent work conditions.

    Said Wabba, “On behalf of my family and the Nigerian Labour Congress , I wish to congratulate you on your recent appointment by Mr. President as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and your subsequent designation as the Minister of Labour and Employment.”

    “Your appointment speaks volume of the confidence that Mr. President reposes on you to steer the affairs of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment towards the upliftment of the masses of our people from poverty, indignity and indecent work.”

    Read Also: Stakeholders to Ngige: change must start with you

    “It is our expectation that you will use the rare opportunity of your re-appointment to promote and advance tripartism, social dialogue, decent work conditions and harmonious industrial relations in Nigeria.

    Wabba further wished Sen. Ngige a very successful tenure.

    It could be recalled that the Minister had a running battle with the NLC in his last days in office as Minister in his first term.

     

     

  • NLC congratulates Ngige on his reappointment as labour minister, end rift

    The rift between the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, may have ended as the labour union on Monday congratulated him on his reappointment.

    This is contained in a letter signed by the President of the NLC, Mr Ayuba Wabba, in Abuja.

    Wabba said that Ngige’s reappointment was a testament of the confidence President Muhammadu Buhari reposed on him.

    He called on Ngige to steer the affairs of the ministry towards the upliftment of Nigerians from poverty, indignity and indecent work conditions.

    “On behalf of my family and the NLC, I wish to congratulate you on your recent appointment by Mr President as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “And your subsequent designation as the Minister of Labour and Employment,” he said

    Wabba said it was the NLC’s expectation that the minister would use the opportunity of his reappointment to promote and advance tripartism.

    Read Also: NLC calls for review of obsolete labour laws

    The NLC president also called on the minister to enbrace social dialogue, decent work conditions and harmonious industrial relations in Nigeria .

    Wabba furthered wished Ngige a very successful tenure.

    NAN recalls that the NLC had warned President Muhammadu Buhari not to return Dr Chris Ngige as the Minister of Labour and Employment in the next cabinet.It warned that returning the former Anambra State governor as minister would create industrial crisis, adding that Ngige lacked the approach to lead workers.

    Towards the end of Ngige’s tenure as labour minister, there were clashes between him and labour leaders over his delay in inaugurating the board of the National Social Insurance Trust Fund more than three years after the expiration of the tenure of the last board.

    Labour also took on him over his exclusion of Frank Kokori as the chairman of the board.

    The union held a protest against him in his house which led to a fracas that landed some NLC members at the National Hospital in Abuja after they were allegedly attacked by thugs.

    NAN

  • NLC calls for review of obsolete labour laws

    THE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Ayuba Wabba on Tuesday called for a review of obsolete labour laws in the country to bring them up to date with international best practices.

    He said doing so would make the laws more effective to defend the rights of workers across the country.

    Wabba spoke at the inauguration of the International Lawyers Assisting Workers Network in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

    The NLC president frowned at a situation where issues affecting workers are treated on ad hoc basis instead of following the standard stipulated by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), which recommends a tripartite body to address issues concerning workers.

    He said the absence of the Nigeria Labour Advisory Council had relegated issues on workers’ rights to an ad hoc arrangement against the ILO conventions that employers, government and labour should sit at a round-table to address issues on workers.

    Read Also: NLC cautions Fed Govt over delay in new wage

    Wabba maintained that among the strongest pillars of democracy are the civil society groups and organised labour.

    He noted that “once you weaken those two institutions, it then means that democracy itself will be weakened and the rule of law will also be weakened”.

    The NLC president said the inauguration of the body would “provide us yet another opportunity to synergise because there have been a lot of changes in the world of work”.

     

  • NLC cautions Fed Govt over delay in new wage

    THE delay in the implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage, rising insecurity and Federal Government’s plan to divest its 40 per cent stake in the electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos), were among the issues discussed on Monday by organised Labour.

    Officials of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) rose from their National Executive Council (NEC) meeting with a call on the government at all levels to immediately implement of the new national minimum wage.

    They said the government can no longer hide under the protracted negotiation with workers on consequential adjustment to delay the implementation.

    In a communique by its President, Ayuba Wabba and outgoing General Secretary Peter Ozo-Eson, the NLC expressed concern that no tier of the government has implemented the national minimum wage since it was signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    According to the congress, the payment of the new wage should commence immediately, effective from the day the New National Minimum Wage was signed by the President.

    On rising insecurity, the Congress resolved to organise a national security summit to discuss and proffer solution.

    The communique reads: “As part of Labour contribution to finding solution to the security challenges in the country, the NLC would convene a national security summit to dispassionately engage the current challenge of insecurity in Nigeria and proffer sustainable solutions.

    “Prior to the proposed Security Summit, the NEC resolved that NLC would hold rallies across Nigeria to sensitise government and citizens on the need to urgently arrest the current drift in security.”

    The NLC noted that the recent confession by a bandit that helicopters dropped weapons for criminals was suggestive of possible collusion between criminal elements and big-time financiers of criminality.

    It also decried the upsurge in insurgent attacks in three local government areas of Gubio, Magumeri and Konduga in Borno State and the villages of Dille, Lassa, Ngurthlavu, Dagu, Yaffa, Maikadiri and Kidlindila in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.

    Read Also: NLC begs FG to release Sowore, 26 others

    According to the NLC, the victims of the renewed security breaches have always been workers and defenceless citizens, warning that the trend could impact negatively on the economy if not checked.

    The primary responsibility of government, the NLC said, “is the security of lives and property”. It called on the government at all levels to rein the resurgence in criminality and brigandage.

    “We call for improvement in the quality and quantity of policing deployed for the security of citizens and property and emphasized the need for improved intelligence gathering and the use of technology as being of utmost importance as effective measures in the fight against crime, brigandage and terrorism”, the communique added.

    On electricity, the NLC expressed concern over media reports that the government plans to divest 40 per cent of its shares in DisCos and GenCos, even as it decried persistence power outages.

    Restating its opposition to increase in electricity tariff, the NLC said: “It’s the conviction of the NEC that continuous hike in electricity tariff and persistent power outages present huge financial burden for businesses thus making goods and services produced in Nigeria not to be competitive as goods cum services produced elsewhere.”

     

     

  • NLC confirms Ugboaja as new General Secretary

    President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba has confirmed the appointment of Comrade Emmanuel Ugjoaja as the new General Secretary of the Congress.

    Wabba, in a statement, said the appointment of Ugboaja followed the retirement of the former General Secretary, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson.

    Until his appointment which was confirmed at the National Executive Council meeting of the Congress in Kano, Ugboaja was the Head of Organising Department of the Congress.

    There has been speculations in the media that the NLC NEC meeting has appointed Ugboaja who contested the House of Representatives election in the last general election as the new General Secretary.

    The statement reads: “We bring you fraternal greetings from the Nigeria Labour Congress.

    “I write to notify you of the appointment of Comrade Emmanuel Okechukwu Ugboaja as the new General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

    “This follows the retirement of his predecessor, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson, after years of meritorious service to the Congress.

    “The appointment of Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja as the new General Secretary of the NLC follows the approval of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the NLC at its regular meeting held in Kano, Kano State on 21stAugust, 2019. The appointment is with immediate effect.

    Read Also: NLC begs FG to release Sowore, 26 others

    “Comrade (Barrister) Emmanuel Okechukwu Ugboaja born on 15th May, 1966 is a 1987 Law graduate of the University of Calabar. In 1993, he became the first lawyer in Nigeria to work full time for a trade union when he joined the National Union of Chemical Footwear Rubber Leather and Non-Metallic Products Employees (NUCFRLANMPE), an affiliate of the Nigeria Labour Congress.

    “He rose through the ranks of the union to serve as the General Secretary from 2000 to 2005.

    “Between 2006 and 2009, Comrade Emmanuel Okechukwu Ugboaja was appointed as the Coordinator, Advocacy and Mobilization of the Alliance for Credible Elections, a foremost Nigerian Civil Society Organization with focus on electoral matters.

    “In 2005, Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja was a delegate to the 2005 President Olusegun Obasanjo’s Political/Constitutional Reform Conference. He was also a delegate to the President Goodluck Jonathan Constitution Review Conference of 2014.

    “We urge you to extend your good hands of fellowship and goodwill to Comrade Emmanuel Okechukwu Ugboaja in his new position as the General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress.”

  • Minimum wage: no worker should be cheated, says Wabba

    THE President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba has assured workers, especially those in the states and local government, the group will do everything to ensure that they are not short-changed in any way in the payment of the new national minimum wage.

    Wabba who spoke in an interview in Abuja  on Thursday also lashed out at the Chairman of the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, Chief Richard Egbulue for deliberately stirring controversy that labour leaders were delaying the implementation of the minimum wage.

    Wabba who was reacting to media reports quoting on the implementation of the minimum wage wondered how workers and their leaders who have been agitating for the implementation of the wages would be the ones delaying its implementation.

    He said: “Despite the fact that the NLC and TUC are not directly driving the process of consequential adjustment, the process is ongoing. This morning, the report I read from the joint Public Service Negotiating Council is that they are meeting and if there is any stalemate, we will be informed and we will step in to assist them.

    “I think they have also made the details of their discussions public. So, for anybody on that table to come out and say Labour is delaying the process is not saying the obvious.

    “Workers are becoming more concerned and we are becoming concerned because a process must have an end for workers to benefit from the system. How can a worker or union who is at the receiving end be said to be delaying the process? For us, we wanted this money to be in the pocket of workers long before now.”

    He said he got across to the unions and they have told him what the process is on and that they have not delayed the process in any way. According to him, what they want is to ensure that it is a win-win situation and that what is added is not just peanuts, but should take into consideration some of the challenges the workers are  passing through in the last eight years, especially the cost of goods and services.

    “Let the increase be commensurate with the challenges. That is what the Joint Councils is trying to do and if they have challenges, they will revert to us,”he said.

    Read Also: Minimum wage battle is not over, says Wabba

    On arrears of the minimum wage will be paid to workers when the implementation finally commences, he said the effective date remained the one signed by President Muhammadu Buhari. “I am not aware of any change in that. What I am aware of is that it become effective the day it becomes a law and that is what we rely on,” Wabba said.

    Reminded of the concerns from workers in the state as a result of the attitude of some of the stage governors, Wabba said: “From the perspective of labour, we will work assiduously with all our state councils and all our structures to make sure no worker is surcharged in any way.

    “That is the commitment that we will all try to make. People would want to conserve resources, but I think that we must realise the centrality of the challenge the workers have passed through especially with the high cost of goods and services and the lack of purchasing power.”

    He however described the youths of any nation as its assets, stressing that more opportunities should be created for them by the government to excel

    He said: “Most times, we complain that we are not doing well because our youth population is on the high side. But we have seen many countries around the world that have population more than our own and are doing well. So, what I think is lacking is for us to plan the more.

    “We know that our population growth is around three per cent. That means that we have to plan to accommodate the population increase. We should not lament and use that as an excuse.

    “In fact, the population should be seen as an asset. I just came back from Japan where they are complaining of an aging population and are praying to have a youthful population. That is to tell you that it is the youthful population that will be able to make the difference.”

  • NLC/TUC: We have no plan for mass action

    Nigeria’s two registered Labour centers, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, have disowned any plan by groups to embark on mass action, saying no issue had arisen to warrant such action.

    President of the NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, and his TUC counterpart, Quadri Olaleye, said in separate press statements made available to newsmen in Abuja that before any action is embarked upon, any issue in contention must first be discussed by the various organs of the Congress.

    Wabba said while congress respect the right of individuals to freely protest against any policy they disagree with, appropriate organs of the Congress were yet to discuss any issue of mass action.

    The NLC statement reads: “We would wish to inform our members/affiliate unions, civil society allies and the general public that the Nigeria Labour Congress is neither organising nor getting associated with any mass action or street protest over any issue  in any part or every  part of the country in the days ahead.

    “Before we embark on any mass action or street protest, the issue(s) in contestation must first be thoroughly debated by the appropriate organs of the Congress.

    “Similarly, the decision to do a mass action or any form of protest is usually taken by those organs.

    “Accordingly, we wish to state unambiguously that neither has such an issue arisen nor a debate for a mass action taken place, let alone a decision to proceed on a mass action.

    “We are therefore not involved in any street protest. Nonetheless, Congress respects the right of the citizenry to freely associate and hold an opinion, and to peacefully protest against any policy or policies with which they disagree.”

    On its part, the TUC said it was not in any league with any group for a mass action in any part of the country, adding that it was not aware of any issue with any government agency that has not been subjected to social dialogue that would warrant a mass action.

    Read Also: NLC seeks power sector privatisation review

    The TUC said: “The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) wishes to inform the general public that it has no planned mass action or street protest in the country for now. It also states unequivocally that it is in not in league with any group whatsoever for any mass action in any part of the country.

    “It further states that there are no issues in contention with any public authority that has not been subjected to social dialogue that will now require extra ordinary means or action to resolve.

    “The Congress further states that if such issues arise, the Labour Centre will go through its internal mechanism to procure authority for such an action, bearing in mind that its organs must be properly briefed and thorough debates will be undertaken before the organs can give approval.

    “In this case no issue has arisen, no organ has been summoned, and no debate has been undertaken, therefore no such decisions has been taken.

    “TUC however holds the opinion that any group or groups reserve the right to express themselves in any manner they deem fit taking into cognisance the laws of the land.

    “TUC remains committed to the corporate existence of this country in which all manner of people enjoy the right of citizenship”.

  • First things first

    •We cannot increase tariffs before providing power

    Once again, the question of which should come first in the power sector, increase in tariff or prepaid meters to electricity consumers, came into the fore at a forum in Abuja on Monday. Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Ayuba Wabara, who revived the debate, said Nigerians would not be able to cope with any tariff increase now because of the country’s economic situation. Wabara, who spoke at the public consultation on capping of estimated billing, organised by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) in Abuja, told his audience that it would be unfair for the commission to succumb to pressures from power distribution companies (DisCos) to increase tariffs that would not be commensurate with the power supplied to electricity consumers.

    According to Wabara, “On our part, anything that will add cost to the consumers at this point in time, certainly, as a consumer and somebody that represents a large constituency, we will not be able to bear the cost. Where we are, the poverty level in Nigeria, I am telling you that many of us cannot afford to pay this exploitative billing.

    “A retired DIG called me to say that he used to pay such amount and now this is what he is paying and that he cannot pay it again. Those are people at the higher level. What of those at the lower level, small and medium scale enterprises, like the barbers? Can the cooks pay?” he asked.

    From Wabara’s point of argument, the issue appears to be more on the emotive side. But power is not something that should be consumed for free because it comes with some cost which must be recouped by the providers who are also in business to make money. However, we must take note of the operational words ‘exploitative billing’, that the NLC boss mentioned, which really is at the heart of the argument against estimated billing, and, by extension, increased tariff. Many Nigerians have opposed and they keep opposing the idea of increase of power tariff under the current billing arrangement that the DisCos inherited because it is mostly based on estimates.

    What this has done is to give the DisCos the latitude to bill consumers on a rule-of the-thumb basis, which many contend is not commensurate with the power they consume. There have been instances when power would not be supplied in some areas for weeks, yet, the bills are fixed and the DisCos expect consumers to pay. Failure to settle such bills in the past, or settling only a part of it, led to situations where the unpaid parts of the bills accumulated to huge sums that consumers have had to repudiate. Yet, the DisCos keep putting pressure on consumers and sometimes blackmail them into paying the questionable bills.

    It is against this unfair billing system that we keep saying no to tariff increase because there is no discernible pattern to its preparation. Tariff increase without providing consumers with prepaid meters or an equitable billing system can only further compound their woes. Its continued toleration also does not incentivise the DisCos to improve on their services since they can continue to make money for power not supplied.

    Our position is first things first. We stand by that position. We need to know exactly how many consumers the DisCos are feeding; we need to know how many are metered, and how many of the meters are working; we need to know those who are not metered but the DisCos are aware they are on the National Grid, and the DisCos too must bring into the net those consumers who are using electricity illegally.

    This last segment is important because it is their bills that are usually transferred to those getting estimated bills, which make such consumers’ bills to be on the high side. It is when all these have been correctly determined, and those with meters (old or prepaid) are billed according to their consumption that we can then be talking about tariff increase. After all, the DisCos too have not been able to meet up with the requirements under the multi-year tariff order that they are under obligation to keep.

  • Workers demand new social contract from world leaders

    GLOBAL workers participating in the ongoing 108th session of the International Labour Conference (ILC) on the platform of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) are demanding a new social contract from world leaders and employers of labour across the globe.

    Led by Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Ayuba Wabba, the workers staged a peaceful rally in front of the United Nations (UN) building in Geneva, Switzerland.

    They insisted that as the world moves into the digital age and technology threatens job security, workers deserve to get a new social order that will protect them and their jobs across the world.

    Wabba, who is also the President of ITUC, said the protest became necessary because workers across the world were not treated with dignity.

    He said: “The rally today by workers, under the auspices of the International Trade Union Confederation, represents 207 million workers from all the continents of the world – from 163 countries. They are to make the point that workers need a new social contract that will address the issue of inequality and poverty around the world.

    Read Also: NLC tasks lawmakers on quality representation

    “So, going forward is to demand for a new social contract that will guarantee universal workers’ rights that will guarantee strikes, guarantee freedom of association, guarantee the rights to collective bargain and that will guarantee social protection.

    “As we speak today, over 1 billion people around the world do not have social protection; they do not have pensions and they do not have any means of social protection. So, when they get aged, they become a liability to the society.”

    According to him, the demands from workers globally have become imperative to address inadequate pay, pensions, corruption and their general wellbeing.

    Wabba noted that the best time to bring the demand to the fore is at a global labour event like the ILC, where over 40 world leaders are billed to address the conference.

    He said: “Workers are working; yet, workers cannot have anything to show to take care of their families. The essence of this is also to look at the global economy. Despite the fact that the global economy has more than tripled, wealth is still being concentrated in the hands of a few. Therefore, the majority are in poverty.

    “We have seen in all countries that there is an issue of increased militarisation, where budgeting for military is increasing and social spending is reducing. We believe that the foundation of ILO is to address the fact that poverty and inequality anywhere is a threat to prosperity. Therefore, we thought we need to make the point here as well as other issues.”

    The NLC president stressed that the rally was to protest against corrupt officers globally and sensitise workers on their rights to social protection, among others.

    According to him, wherever those corrupt officers go to, labour will shame them around the world because most of them carry their money around the globe and “it is important we get our workers around the world sensitised”.

    Wabba added: “You cannot commit atrocity in one country and run to another country. When you do so, we can use our network to track you wherever you are. Workers are now united and in solidarity with one another. We have realised that the issue of divide-and-rule certainly cannot succeed.

    “I think it is to make better use of this opportunity of the ILO100 years to say that workers should not be treated like commodities.

    “Workers should be treated with dignity because we create the wealth of the world. This is where we are, so that our leaders listen to those views and they can go back home and try to make some amends.”

    Also, the Director of International Department of AFL-CIO, America’s Union and Deputy President ITUC, Ms Cathy Feingold, said workers’ issues are all the same.

    “From Nigeria to the United States (U.S), workers are facing the same challenges of precarious work failure of having a vibrant social contract.

    “We are here to say we are going to reinvigorate the issue of social contract so that all workers have the right and dignified social protection. We are here to demand of the governments, employers of labour, of the world that we are here to get a new contract to work with them and make sure it is implemented in all of our country,” she said.

  • NLC accuses Ngige of intimidating Organised Labour

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has accused the Minister of Labour and Employment Senator Chris Ngige of intimidating and harassing Organised labour with a view to running them under ground in the country.

    Its President Comrade Ayuba Wabba said in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja that it was aware the NLC was aware of a directive from the office of the Minister to officers of the Ministry to look for ways of dealing with organised labour as a result of its recent confrontation over the board of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).

    Wabba said as part of the plan to deal with organised Labour, the ministry has asked the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG) to submit its statement of account for the year 2018 to the Registrar of trade unions within 72 hours in contravention of the law which stipulate 30 days for such request.

    Wabba said the Congress was the initial target of the directive, but when they failed to get anything to hold down the leadership of the NLC, the Ministry turned its search light on NUPENG who were party to the fight to validate the appointment of Frank Kokori as chairman of the NSITF board.

    “The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), an affiliate of the NLC has intimated us of the continued harassment, intimidation, victimization and persecution of its members and the leadership of the union by the Ministry of Labour under the watch of Dr. Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment.

    “NUPENG received a letter from the Office of the Minister of Labour dated 13th May 2019 with Reference No: ITU/FR/45/VII/15 requesting NUPENG to submit its 2018 Annual Financial Return within seventy-two (72) hours to the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.

    “We wish to state that the directive by Dr. Chris Ngige for NUPENG to submit its Annual Financial Return within seventy-two (72) hours is in gross violation of Section 40 of the Trade Union (Amendment) Act 2005 and therefore an exercise in illegality and lawlessness.”

    Wabba said that section 40 of the Trade Union (Amendment) Act states that “Without prejudice to the foregoing provisions of this Part of this Act, the Registrar may at any time call upon the treasurer, the committee of management or any other official of a registered body to prepare and submit to him within A PERIOD OF THIRTY DAYS from the date of the call letter detailed accounts of the funds of the body in respect of any particular period; and any accounts submitted under this section shall show in detail such information as the Registrar may direct, and shall, if the Registrar so directs, be audited by the duly appointed auditor before being submitted to the Registrar”.

    According to him, “In view of the above quoted provisions of the Trade Union Act which the Minister of Labour and Employment is under oath to protect and defend, we wish to unequivocally posit that the cruel urgency communicated in his letter suggests only one thing – unveiled desperation to disorganize and destroy trade unionism in Nigeria.

    Read Also: ‘NLC invasion of Ngige’s home criminal’

    “It is also not a coincidence that this is coming on the heels of our recent protests against the activities of the Minister of Labour and Employment to undermine organized labour and trade unions in Nigeria.

    “We wish to remind the Minister that the right to protest and picketing are guaranteed by Section 40 of the Nigerian constitution, Section 43 of the Trade Union (Amendment) Act and Conventions 98 and 78 of the International Labour Organization (ILO).

    “Article 2, part 1 of the ILO Convention 98 explicitly forbids government and employers from meddling in the affairs of trade unions, providing that ´Workers’ and employers’ organizations shall enjoy adequate protection against any acts of interference by each other or each other’s agents or members in their establishment, functioning or administration.´

    “We are privy to the fact that shortly after our last protest, a directive was issued from the office of the Minister of Labour to officers in the Ministry of Labour and Employment to fish for grounds on which to deal decisively with organized Labour. We understand that the Nigeria Labour Congress is the primary target in the current overdrive to run trade unionism in Nigeria underground.

    “It was only when the fishing expedition failed to grab anything against the Nigeria Labour Congress that the hunters turned their barrels on NUPENG. This attitude of vindictiveness is not only unbecoming of “the only competent Authority on Labour matters” but also uncivilized, ungentlemanly, undemocratic, uncut and unpolished.

    “Unfortunately, even the most despicable dictators in global annals have never descended to this low of shameful abuse of public office and trust to hound, persecute and terrorize innocent workers, national labour centres and their affiliate unions.

    “It is highly disgusting that this behaviour is coming from a so-called democrat who has had the privilege of seeking public acquiescence especially the votes of workers while contesting for the position of the governor of a state.

    “Given that the intention of the Minister’s recent directive is aimed at achieving narrow, petty and selfish ends, we demand the withdrawal of Dr. Chris Ngige’s letter to NUPENG dated May 13, 2019, Ref. No. ITU/FR/45/VII/15. We also call for a public apology from the Minister of Labour for yet another round of assault on organized labour in Nigeria.

    “Furthermore, we demand that the Minister of Labour and Employment publicly guarantees that he would desist from further harassment, victimization and persecution of workers, our trade unions and the two labour centres in Nigeria. We do not wish that the current fragile industrial peace in our country collapses completely on the account of endless provocations by the Minister of Labour and Employment.”