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Tag: Ayuba Wabba

  • NPC workers’ strike “put on hold” – Union

    NPC workers’ strike “put on hold” – Union

    Striking workers of the National Population Commission ( NPC ) on Tuesday said their protest had been “put on hold’’ pending the response of the Federal Government to their demands.

    The President of the workers union, Mrs Rita Agaba, made this known in Abuja.

    She explained that the strike was put on hold following the intervention of the National Presidents of the Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC ) and Trade Union Congress.

    Agaba said the union members decided to put on hold the strike in respect of the NLC and TUC with offices reopened.

    However, the unionist maintained that they would operate a work-to-rule regime to facilitate dialogue and in anticipation of government positive response.

    Read also: Fire guts National Population Commission’s Lagos office

    The leadership of organised labour on January 29 directed the aggrieved NPC workers to suspend their strike to give room for dialogue.

    Mr Ayuba Wabba, President, Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC ) with his counterpart, Mr Bobboi Kaigama, President, Trade Union Congress ( TUC ) gave the directive while addressing the NPC staff in Abuja.

    Agaba also disclosed that the scheduled Jan. 30 meeting between leaders of the NPC workers’ union and the Secretary to Government of Federation had been postponed till further notice.

    Reports say that the NPC workers embarked on the strike in the last three weeks to protest the reappointment of their Director-General, Dr Ghaji Bello, by the federal government.

    The workers are also demanding for improved working condition and probe of the finances of the commission.

    NAN

  • NLC tells workers to vote out defaulting governors

    NLC tells workers to vote out defaulting governors

    The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC ), Mr Ayuba Wabba, has urged workers to get their Permanent Voter Cards ( PVCs ) to vote out state governors owing salaries and allowances.

    A statement signed by Ms Freda Ukpoju, Media Officer, Say No Campaign, a Civil Society Organisation ( CSO ), on Tuesday quoted Wabba as making the call at the group’s “DoroCorruption programme’’ held in Abuja.

    Wabba decried the ordeal of workers at the hands of state governments in Nigeria, insisting that the Nigerian government treat workers like slaves.

    “It is time the workers used their numbers to push back; I encourage members to get their PVCs to vote out every defaulting state governor.

    Read also: NLC rejects APC panel’s proposal on minimum wage, local govts

    “State governments owing salaries were given bailouts and different Federal Government interventions, including the Paris club funds meant to offset their debts to state workers.

    “While some have met their responsibilities and paid off, chronic debtors like Benue and Kogi states remain adamant in fulfilling their responsibilities and clearing their debts.

    “The challenge is not lack of resources but sheer unwillingness and misplaced priorities. ‘’

    Wabba said that the reality of the matter was that the problem had never been about resources, saying “In most of those states, their priority is not to pay salaries but white elephant projects.’’

    He said that before this current administration came in, Plateau owed seven months salaries but through ingenuity, the governor utilised all the money given to him to settle everybody.

    He said that many states had utilised their money, but some states, about twelve of them, including Benue and Kogi had failed.

    He, however, said that the governors should be held accountable because democracy was about the people.

    He said that if as governors, they were not able to address the fundamental constitutional issue of security and welfare of the people then the people also must be able to hold them accountable.

    “Workers and pensioners must unite to use their PVC to chase these type of people out of government; if workers, in unity, demand it and also use their power of franchise to vote them out of office,’’ he said.

    Also speaking, the co-convener, Say No Campaign, Mr Ezenwa Nwagwu, encouraged citizens to join unions or associations and actively participate in ensuring that their collective interests were championed.

    Nwagwu said that where members noticed that leadership had been compromised or failed to promote their interest, there should be no hesitation in voting such leaders out.

    He said that the demand for accountability should begin at the  communities level, adding that only when citizens were able to hold their leaders accountable, would they have the courage to hold government accountable.

    He advised Nigerians not to be divided along ethnic or religious sentiments in the demand for accountability because citizens needed to develop the culture of giving ultimatums to government and demand urgent response to their plights.

    He condemned state governors owing workers and insisted that they were inflicting the worst kind of terror on their people by attacking their means of survival.

    NAN

  • NLC wants affordable workers’ houses

    NLC wants affordable workers’ houses

    President of Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC ), Mr Ayuba Wabba, on Tuesday in Abuja called for a realistic housing scheme that would enable workers afford houses in the country.

    Wabba made the call at a two-day public hearing organised by House of Representatives Committee on Housing.

    The hearing was sequel to the adoption of a motion on “the need for stakeholders to ensure full compliance with the National Housing Fund (NHF) Act for effective housing delivery in Nigeria’’.

    “For us to address the issue of housing deficit, we must have an agreeable interest rate that is affordable to citizens and workers, if not the houses will be built and will not be affordable,’’ Wabba said.

    Read also: NLC calls for upward review of pensions

    He called on the Federal Government to intervene by providing the necessary funds required to drive the housing scheme in the country.

    The NLC president, who decried the violation of the NHF Act by some stakeholders, added that failure of commercial banks to contribute to the fund also retarded progress of the scheme.

    “The major issue has been the interest rate on the loan that is now available with our commercial banks.

    “This has been a serious burden and cannot be called a mortgage,’’ he said.

    He expressed worry that Nigerian workers could still not afford the houses in spite of putting in 2.5 per cent of their monthly salaries to have shelter.

    “We actually keyed into the scheme but along the line in 2003 and 2004, we had challenges because the houses were built and workers could not afford them.

    “The type of houses required were not the type built, so hundreds of houses are lying fallow in Abuja because nobody can afford them,’’ Wabba added.

    He stressed the need to take the houses to rural areas to enable workers have access to them.

    NAN

  • NLC condemns sack of 5000 workers in Kaduna

    NLC condemns sack of 5000 workers in Kaduna

    The Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC ) has condemned the sack of 5,000 local government workers by the Kaduna State Government.

    In a statement on Thursday in Abuja, President of NLC, Mr Ayuba Wabba, said the action of the state government was illegal.

    According to him, the Nigeria Labour Congress strongly condemns the mass sacking of 5,000 local government workers by the Kaduna State Government.

    “The purported sack violates the provisions of all labour laws, industrial relations practice as well as processes.

    “The reasons adduced by the government are spurious and unfounded. Aside from this, the process is patently faulty and unlawful, and redundancy cannot be carried out without following the provisions of the Labour Act.

    “When Kaduna Government announced the plan to lay off about 25,000 teachers for failing a competency test for Primary Four Class, we expressed our misgivings.

    “We said that the so-called competency test was a subterfuge and part of a premeditated plan to drastically cut down the workforce.

    “This is in furtherance to dangerous neo-liberal policies. The latest illegal mass sack of workers lends credence to our assertions or fears.

    “We would want to warn of the consequences of the reckless actions of the government of Kaduna State and will call for caution and restraint on the part of the government,’’ he said.

    The labour leader said it was evident that the state government did not give sufficient consideration to the social consequences of dropping off 5,000 workers.

    He deplored reports that the governor boasted that no one or nothing could stop him from carrying out his agenda of mass retrenchment of workers.

    “This is most unfortunate and a direct fulfilment of the exact opposite of his campaign promise and APC’s manifesto to create jobs.

    “He often says as Governor, he has the right, power, means and will to do as he likes, but this is undemocratic and anti-workers.

    “We are worried by these emotional outbursts, and their infectious effects on his peers and the polity as a whole.

    “We at the Nigeria Labour Congress expected more maturity and flexibility.

    Read also: Rescuing Kaduna’s troubled education sector

    “We accordingly advise the government to rescind its decision on the mass sack. We call on President Muhammadu Buhari and his party, the APC, to call the governor to order,’’ he said.

    Wabba also noted that the President’s support for a reform in the education sector was not synonymous with “mindless and conscienceless retrenchment’’.

    He said that some states in the federation had carried out far-reaching reforms in the education sector with impressive results without causing social violence.

    He, therefore, called on the state government to heed to wise counsel given in good faith, adding that the statement should be considered as a served notice.

    The congress president said that workers would use all lawful means available to contest the wave of the mass sack.

    He said that NLC would mobilize workers and pensioners across the nation and its civil society allies in solidarity with workers in Kaduna

    NAN

  • NLC advises FG’s committee on minimum wage

    NLC advises FG’s committee on minimum wage

    The Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC ) has called on the Tripartite Committee for the new National Minimum Wage to consider the plight of workers and pensioners during its deliberations and initiate decisions that will improve the lives of the generality of Nigerians.

    Mr Ayuba Wabba, NLC President, made the call in an interview on Friday in Abuja.

    President Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, appointed a 30-member Tripartite Committee for the negotiation of the New National Minimum Wage for workers in the country.

    The committee has its members across both federal, state and the private sector and would be inaugurated on Nov. 27.

    While commending the President for the appointment of the committee, Wabba said it was timely and long overdue.

    “We hope that after the inauguration, the committee can commence work immediately so that we can cover some mileage and also cover the times that have been lost.

    “This is something that workers have long anticipated and our expectation is that we want a speedy process and that the fact that the issues are very obvious.

    “If you look at the exchange rate, the N18,000 Minimum Wage of 2011 when we signed the agreement, it was almost equivalent to N110 dollars; today, the N18,000 is less than 46 dollars.

    “So, this is the reality and with the purchasing power of ordinary Nigerian worker, with the high cost of transaction, our expectation is that the committee should look at the conditions of the Nigeria workers and pensioners.’’

    He, however, expressed dismay that there were places where pensioners were still receiving less than N4000 and that this called for an urgent consideration.

    The NLC president said that the consideration was imperative to address the issue of social imbalance, inequality and the wide gap of poverty in the country.

    “As you are aware, there is lack of employment in the country, therefore, workers have a lot of burden like taking care of their children and other dependents.

    “So, there is no worker today that does not cater for dependents.

    “Therefore, our expectation is that the process must be driven with all commitment and above all, they should take into consideration, the condition of workers and pensioners,” he added.

    NAN

  • NLC alarmed over Boko Haram resurgence

    NLC alarmed over Boko Haram resurgence

    The Nigeria Labour Congress( NLC ) has expressed concern over the resurgence of strikes at vulnerable targets by Boko Haram in the North East.

    NLC President Ayuba Wabba, in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, described the killings as reprehensible.

    “The Nigeria Labour Congress wishes to commiserate with the government and people of Adamawa State over the killing of 50 worshippers in Mubi by a suspected Boko Haram suicide bomber.

    “We also condemn the slaying of 30 herders by yet to be identified assailants. These cold-blooded killings are shocking and reprehensible. We demand that the perpetrators be found and brought to book.

    “On the killings of worshippers in the mosques, we are worried by this resurgence of strikes the by Boko Haram elements operating from fall back positions.”

    Wabba, while urging security and intelligence officers to do more, said that the NLC appreciated the difficulties associated with policing an area as vast as the North-East.

    He also called for the strengthening of security awareness and intelligence gathering among the local populace as well as the de-radicalisation campaign generally by the military personnel.

    “We believe the Boko Haram insurgents have been defeated. What we are witnessing may not be another phase of the war hopefully but a desperate attempt by a handful ragtags to create one by striking fear in the hearts of the people,’’ he added.

    In a separate statement, the NLC commiserated with the government and people of Anambra over the demise of former Vice President Alex Ekwueme.

    Wabba described the late Ekwueme as a “Jewel in the Pack”, adding that his death had robbed not just the political class but the Nigerian nation, the wise counsel of “one among a few who have seen it all”.

    “Dr Ekwueme was a distinguished architect, intellectual, affable politician, a credible personality and a respected elder statesman rolled into one.

    “His death represents a curtain call on (not a final one though) the second Republic politicians, much vilified for their excesses but whom history mercifully redeemed by the more daring excesses of successor rulers or politicians.

    “We make bold to say that even when it was a patriotic act to condemn the Second Republic politicians, Ekwueme was a jewel in the pack as he was neither found wanting in government nor by the probe panel set up by the soldiers that overthrew that government.

    “Indeed, of him, it was said that he left government poorer than he joined it,” Wabba said.

    He stressed that the least that could be done in Ekwueme’s memory was to imbibe his “endearing personal qualities”.

  • NLC President leads protest against sack of teachers in Kaduna

    NLC President leads protest against sack of teachers in Kaduna

    ….assembly properties vandalised by protesters – Speaker

     

    The Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC ), President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba on Wednesday led workers on streets protest in Kaduna State capital, against plan by the state government to sack 21,780 teachers.

    Meanwhile, the protest which terminated at the state House of Assembly left some properties within the assembly complex destroyed.

    The protesting workers demanded that, the government should rescind its decision or have the entire labour force to contend with.

    Marching and singing anti government song along major roads in the state capital, and carrying placards with various inscriptions, the workers asked the Kaduna state government not to sack the teachers for failing to pass the competency test administered on them sometime in June this year.

    They argued that government has no constitutional powers to organize such exam for teachers, saying only the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) has the mandate to do so.

    They also gave the state government two weeks to cancel the planned dismissal of teachers, or they will embark on an indefinite strike.

    Addressing the workers, Mr, Waba assured them that the leadership of the NLC will support them and ensure that they get what they deserve from the state government.

    The Nation gathered that, the protest was jointly organised by the state chapters of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE).

    It was also gathered that, NULGE and NUT leaders from 18 states in the North came in solidarity with their colleagues in Kaduna.

    The local government employees, were said to be protesting against the planned sack of about 4000 of their members.

    While the protest was going on in the city center, hundreds of school children were said to have been mobilised at Mararaban Rido where they blocked Kachia road, leaving commuters plying the Kaduna – Kachia road stranded for a long period.

    However, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Aminu Abdullahi Shagali confirmed the destruction of some assembly properties by the protesting workers.

    The Speaker in his official twitter handle, #Rt. Hon Speaker KADAssembly twitted some photographs and videos of the vandalised properties.

    One of the Speaker’s tweets read that, “The NUT protesters are destroying properties of the Kaduna State House of Assembly.

    “The gate of the Kaduna State House of Assembly was destroyed by the protesters against the sack of unqualified primary school teachers”, the Speaker said.

    The Nation recall that the state chapter of NUT had on Monday issued a two weeks ultimatum to Governor Nasir El-Rufai to rescind his government’s decision to sack the 21,780 primary teachers who failed the competency test or face indefinite strike.

    Primary school pupils had also been used in that past two days to protest that government’s decision.

    Meanwhile, the state government had maintained its resolved to sack the 21,780 teachers who failed the competency test, while it has since commenced process to recruit 25,000 new teachers to replace those to be sacked.

    Read Also: Attention, Kaduna Police Commissioner

  • My most critical moment as Chief Judge – Justice Auta

    My most critical moment as Chief Judge – Justice Auta

    …CJN, Gov Shetima, Senator Ndume, others hail ex-Federal High Court Chief Judge

     

    The immediate past Chief Judge of the Federal High Court (FHC), Justice Ibrahim Auta has taken a retrospective look at his over six-year tenure and recalled his most critical period while in office.

    Auta said the period preceding the 2015 general elections was the most critical in his career, because he was worried about the negative consequences of a decision by any judge of the court on the electoral process.

    He spoke in Abuja on Sunday at a dinner held in his honour by members of the Southern Borno Community in Abuja. Justice Auta, who hailed from Southern Borno, retired last month on attaining the mandatory retirement age of 65 years.

    Justice Auta said: “my critical moment was the 2015 election. When it came, I said, God help me. Because, as the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, there are divisions of the court in all the 36 states, with about 80 judges and I am here in Abuja.

    “A judge may do something in Bayelsa, in Sokoto or in Maiduguri; they will say the Chief Judge is aware. But I have no way of knowing what all the judges are doing, but the buck stops on my table. When 2015 came, they started with the registration of parties. That was when I started seeing the danger line.

    “I prayed to God to give me the wisdom to steer the ship of the court so that we will go through this election period without any bloodshed, which will be attributable to any action of the Federal High Court.

    “Then suddenly, the cases started coming out, asking for the disqualification of this, the disqualification of that. And I know then that if we had disqualified anybody there would be bloodshed, serious bloodshed, because parties would not take it

    “And we made up our mind to see that to see that we did not disqualify anybody, and 2015 came and passed without any hiccups. God did it for us, and I am always thanking God for that.  We had a successful election without any blame put on the Federal High Court.

    “I remember that around that time, one of the foreign embassies said Nigeria was going to disintegrate in 2015. They said it would be as a result of judgments or rulings that would come from the Federal High Court, but we vindicated ourselves.

    “It is God, and not by our wisdom. That was my most challenging period. And God saw us through. I give God the glory. I also thank my colleagues for their support, because if they did not cooperate with me, we would not have been successful.

    “So, I give kudos to the judges of the Federal High Court for seeing Nigeria through. And now, we have a government in place in the country,” Justice Auta said.

    Other speakers at the event, including Borno State Governor, Kashim Shetima, Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen and Senator Mohammed Ndume, extolled Justice Auta’s virtues, with many describing him among others, as a courageous man, who sticks to the truth no matter whose ox is gored.

    Represented by a Supreme Court Justice, Justice Clara Bata-Ogunbiyi, Justice Onnoghen said: “Justice Auta is truly a Nigerian; a man of courage, a man of character and a man that is fearless. No matter whose ox is gored, my lord will always stand by the truth.”

    The CJN said the Judiciary was already missing Justice Auta’s contributions, but added that the retired jurist deserved a befitting rest having worked tirelessly for the country.

    Borno State Governor, Kashim Shetima described him as a worthy son of the state, who discharged his responsibilities diligently and devoted his working life to the development of the nation’s Judiciary.

    Represented by the state’s Deputy Governor, Usman Durkwa, Shetima said: “Justice Ibrahim Auta is a man of uncommon integrity. We congratulate him for a meritorious service to his fatherland and wish him a happy retirement. The people and government of Borno are proud of you.”

    A member of the event’s organising committee and serving Senator, representing Borno South Senatorial District, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume said the event was to celebrate a worthy indigene of Borno State, who is a mentor to most of indigenes of the state.

    Ndume said: “Justice Auta is a true rare model to us. He encouraged most of us in various fields, and was instrumental to what many of us are today. You are a symbol of what we are and you have actually set a benchmark for us.

    The Chairman, of the event’s organising committee, Ambassador Dauda Danladi, equally hailed Justice Auta, who he noted, put in almost 40 years of glorious and impeccable service to the nation.

    Danladi said: “At a time when public officers are faced with great challenges and temptation, I could rightly be said that it is easy for the camel to pass through the eye of a needle that for a public servant to retire peacefully and unblemished.

    “We are therefore proud to say that Justice Ibrahim Ndahi Auta has retired with his integrity intact, untainted and incorruptible. Throughout his glorious career as a jurist, he is known for his incisive, bold legal mind, forthrightness and for dispensing justice without any fear or favour, affection or ill will,” Danladi said.

    Also at the well-attended event were the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, Justice Binta Nyako (of the Federal High Court), suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal and President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba.

     

  • My govt has failed workers – Ortom

    My govt has failed workers – Ortom

    Benue governor Samuel Ortom admitted on Monday that his government had failed in its responsibility of paying workers salaries.

    “A worker deserves his wages, but the Benue government has not been able to fulfill that obligation. We have failed the workers in this regard,” Ortom said in Makurdi, after meeting with national leaders of organised labour.

    He, however, said that factors responsible for the inability of the state government to pay salaries were beyond it.

    “Government is worried by its inability to pay workers and has constituted a Joint Technical Committee, comprising civil servants and government officials, to look into the issues surrounding the inability to pay salaries.

    “The committee will also work toward bringing down Benue’s high wage bill of N7.8 billion,” he said.

    Mr Ayuba Wabba, National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC ), who also spoke with newsmen after the meeting, said that the state government had made offers toward addressing the industrial action embarked upon by the state workers.

    Wabba advised government to plug loopholes that had pushed up the state’s wage bill which he said was “too high”.

    Wabba and Ortom, however, refused to disclose the offers made by the government.

    NAN

  • Kachikwu’s letter must be thoroughly investigated – NLC

    Kachikwu’s letter must be thoroughly investigated – NLC

    The president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, said on Thursday that issues raised by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, in his letter to President Muhammadu Buhari should be properly investigated in the interest of Nigerians.

    Wabba said in a chat with journalists that there should be an opportunity for Nigerians to interrogate the process and know the veracity and facts of the issues raised by the minister.

    He said the NLC has made it clear that part of the challenges facing the country is how to imbibe the process of good governance, transparency and accountability, adding that some of the issues raised in the minister’s letter bothered on good governance and accountability.

    He said: “The issue is under some investigation and I think there should be an opportunity to interrogate the process and at the end of the day, let us know the veracity and facts of the issue. We have made this issue quite clear and loud that part of our challenge is how we are able to imbibe the process of good governance, transparency and accountability.

    “Some of the issues bothered on this critical idea of ensuring that there is good governance in place. Our hope is that this issue will be thoroughly investigated and concluded at the end of the day. Let us hear what the issues are as well as the fact of the matter. Once we get the facts, we will then be able to make conclusion.

    “I am aware that the process of investigation is ongoing and I am sure that the Presidency will react appropriately since there is a communication on an issue that bothers in good governance.

    “The normal thing to be done is for the issue to be addressed through the normal process. Once this type of information is thrown to the public, the normal thing is to have a process through which these issues can be looked into.

    “I am aware that the Senate is already investigating the issue and so, the process of that investigation must be concluded so that we can have the fact and be able to make meaningful contributions. Whether the Presidency or the National Assembly, they can investigate because they have the power to do so.”