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Tag: Ayuba Wabba

  • Labour unions resolve to support LG autonomy

    The leadership of labour unions in the country have resolved to support Local Government Autonomy.

    The unions are National Union of Local Government Employee (NULGE), Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and the Medical Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN).

    Mr Ayuba Wabba, the President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said this in a statement jointly signed by him, Mr Ibrahim Khaleel, President NULGE and Mr Michael Alogba- Olukoya, President of NUT.

    Wabba said that the decision was taken after exhaustive deliberations at a meeting convened by the National Leadership of the NLC.

    He said the meeting was to address some concerns raised by the unions with respect to the ongoing agitation by NULGE for Local Government Automotive.

    Speaking on primary school education in the country, the NLC president said it should be seen as a stepping stone and the foundation of all forms of education that deserved a national policy.

    He said the funding should be the responsibility of the federal, state and local governments in order to ensure, guarantee and effect regular and timely payment of teachers’ salaries, entitlements and benefits.

    Wabba also stressed the need for  teachers’ salaries to be a first line charge on the federation account.

    He, however, said another alternative was that the Constitution should strengthen the Supreme Court judgment in the Attorney-General of the Federation versus Attorneys-General of the 36 states, NWLR 6th May, 2002, Part 764.

    According to him, Part 764 stipulates  that removing in the process every ambiguity, lacuna or impediment, ceding responsibility for payment of teachers’ salaries to states wherein it is stated inter alia.

    “It also states that ” as far as primary education is concerned, a local government council only participates with the State Government. The function obviously remains with the State Government”.

    “It stated the tha ” existing agencies such as Universal Basic Education Commission, State Universal Basic Education Commission should be strengthened and empowered to play their roles and discharge their functions”.

    “It also states that the autonomy of local government councils shall be total, comprehensive with all the rights, structures, duties, functions, privileges and obligations.

    “It is clearly spelt out as is the case with the federal and state governments.

    “It stated that Clauses 7, 8, 162 and any other clause in the 1999 Constitution that compromise the autonomy of local government should be deleted, he said.

    Wabba explained that this was in order to give free and unfettered meaning to “autonomy” and make local governments function as third-tier governments.

    According to him, it will also ensure that  Local governments are directly funded and tenure of their executive and legislature stated.

    “It will also ensure unfettered establishment and functionality of the Primary Health Care Boards and Authorities that include salaries, training, programme funding such as immunization, among others,” he added.

  • Nigeria needs transparent budgeting system – NLC

    Nigeria needs transparent budgeting system – NLC

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said on Tuesday the 2017 budget failed to address basic welfare needs of Nigerian workers.

    The president of the NLC, Ayuba Wabba, said the country’s budgeting process was not transparent enough, adding for purpose of integrity, Nigeria needs a very transparent budgeting system that would take suggestions from all segments of the society.

    He said the 2017 budget did not properly capture the welfare of workers, stressing that the over N300 billion pension arrears owed pensioners, especially those involved in the contributory pension scheme were not captured in the budget.

    Wabba said: “We have made the issue severally that our budget process is not transparent enough. If you look at the estimate of this year’s budget, you will discover that a lot of issues that has to do with the welfare of workers have not been captured very well.

    “One example is the issue of pension. There is a liability of over N300 billion that ought to be accommodated in the budget for the payment of pension, particularly the contributory pension scheme. We have interfaced with the leadership of the National Assembly to see how we can accommodate it. But this has not been accommodated.

    “There are also allowances which have not been earned but a portion of it had been provided in the budget. So, in terms of how the budget directly affects the workers, I think some of the issues certainly have not being captured very effectively.”

    Wabba also condemned the late implementation of the budget, saying substantial time had been lost on the matter.

    “Our position is that whatever needs to be done, should to be done properly, especially the capital projects that has to do with critical infrastructures.

    “These issues can kick start the economy and then stimulate the economy and create jobs for the teeming unemployed youths in the country. As it stands now, we are not producing and when those critical sectors are not working, we will remain in a pathetic situation that we will not be able to get out from.”

    “I think there is a need for a transparent budget process so that it would start very early and be open for public scrutiny and also input can be made into the process. This will address the very critical issues of our development. This is because if you look at some aspect of the budget, the overhead seems to be much more than the capital budget,” the NLC president stated.

     

  • NLC to workers: Vote out non-performing governors, others in 2019

    NLC to workers: Vote out non-performing governors, others in 2019

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Saturday asked workers across the country to vote out non-performing governors and other elected representatives in the 2019 general election.

    The NLC president, Ayuba Wabba, who stated this during his visit to the national secretariat of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Abuja, said lack of development at local government level was responsible for the massive urban migration in the country.

    He stressed that it was in the best interest of the political class to grant local government autonomy.

    He said Nigerian workers now have the opportunity to decide their own future by ensuring that they have permanent voters’ card with which they can effect the needed change in the nation’s political system.

    Wabba said, “I have said this on several that if we have membership running into millions, we can change the scenario at every level of governance. At the local government level, put the local government workers together, put the teachers together and all affiliates of the NLC only, you will discover that there is no governor that had won election whose figure surpassed our membership.

    “There is no state where our membership alongside our families and our social partners will not be able to raise up to one million membership. Therefore, we must continue to be politically relevant.

    “Now, we have an opportunity with the continuous voter registration. Many of our workers don’t have voter’s card because we take these things for granted. The union must lead the way in this and ensure that every of our member has a permanent voter’s card.

    “We should not continue to lament because we have the number and we can drive any process. Those governor that have done well, let us reward them. There are those that are paying salaries as and when due. There are those governors that had seen workers as liability, while others see them asset.

    “So any governor that sees workers as liability, let us prepare for them. Let us stop lamenting because if we continue to lament, it will not help us even though we have the number. Let the campaign start with us and we should do that by having our permanent voter’s card.”

     

  • Democracy Day: NLC urges FG to announce c’ttee on minimum wage

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged the Federal Government to use the occasion of the Democracy Day celebration to announce the composition of the tripartite negotiation committee on the National Minimum Wage.

    The NLC President, Mr Ayuba Wabba, made the call in a statement he issued on Sunday in Abuja, ahead of the Democracy Day celebration on Monday.

    Wabba, who noted that the minimum wage was increased to N18,000 six years ago, added that the patience of workers had been tested due to the current inflation in the country.

    “We, therefore, urge the Federal Government to use the occasion of the Democracy Day to announce the composition of the tripartite negotiation committee as this is imperative for the government to review the National Minimum Wage, ‘’ he said.

    Wabba also condemned the recent coup rumour, saying labour was opposed to any move to truncate the current democratic dispensation

    “ The NLC wishes to state in the strongest possible tone that it is categorically opposed to any further military adventurism in the body politics of our nation.

    “The damage military rule caused our nation is not only in the realm of our political culture, it deepened and virtually institutionalised corruption in all segments of our national life,’’ he said.

    The NLC president urged the military leadership to identify individuals involved and prosecute them in the relevant courts.

    Wabba also called on elected public office holders at all levels of governance to rededicate themselves to the task of working for the people.

  • Xenophobic: NLC urges S/African govt to prosecute perpetrators

    Xenophobic: NLC urges S/African govt to prosecute perpetrators

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has asked the South African government to go beyond mere condemnation of recent xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other foreign nationals and take immediate steps to prosecute and sanction individuals and groups responsible for the attacks.

    In a statement signed by its president, Ayuba Wabba and made available to journalists in Abuja, the NLC described as mindless, the attacks on foreigners and their businesses in the former apartheid enclave.

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    The body blamed the government for not doing enough to ease the frustration of the people.

    Wabba said the contribution of Nigerians and other Africans towards the defeat of apartheid was informed by the logic of defending civil liberties of all people, creed and race.

    [quote font=”times” font_size=”18″ font_style=”italic” color=”#f4f4f4″ bgcolor=”#3c6060″ bcolor=”#dd3333″ arrow=”yes”]He reminded the South African government that it was the duty of all Africans to stand up and oppose injustice of racial minority that marginalised and mindlessly abuses the South African black majority.[/quote]

    The statement reads: “We never saw it as a debt that a liberated South Africa should pay back to the rest of us. Rather, it was a duty for us to stand against injustice anywhere and anytime.

    “The Nigeria Labour Congress affirms that the recent February 2017 xenophobic attack like previous ones (in 2008 and 2015) are yet another unacceptable and avoidable development. We totally condemn it and call on the South African government to move without further delay to take actions to prevent another occurrence.

    “People, especially migrants, refugees and asylum seekers all over the world are and should be welcomed and not made targets of conscienceless attacks. For Africa and South Africa, the pursuit of togetherness, care, warm reception towards and hospitality to others are some of the enduring attributes and the essence of the Ubuntu spirit. It is unacceptable that foreigners, migrants, refugees and asylum seekers are labelled criminals as a justification to subject them to extra-judicial actions.

    “NLC considers the South African government’s condemnation of these recent xenophobic attacks as a positive action. We, however, call on the government to go beyond condemnation to investigate, prosecute and sanction persons, groups or individuals that might have played any role in these mindless attacks on foreigners.

    “A conscious approach to accountability will send a firm signal to other potential xenophobes and xenophobia instigators and participators of the consequences that await perpetrators.”

     [feature_slider display=”tag” tag=”Xenophobia” orderby=”popular” count=”8″ caption=”on” nav=”thumbs” animation=”crossfade” easing=”easeInOutCubic” timeout=”2000″ arrows=”on”]

  • NLC, TUC protest rising cost of living

    The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) on Thursday staged a protest at the National Assembly complex, Abuja over the rising cost of living in Nigeria.

    The NLC Chairman, Mr Ayuba Wabba, said that the groups were protesting the delay in the upward review of minimum wage amidst increasing cost of items in the country.

    “We are here to demand for good governance and express our support in the fight against corruption.

    “More importantly, we demand for respect for rule of law, greater accountability and transparency in governance,’’ Wabba said.

    He expressed worry that Nigerian workers had been the major victims of the fall-out of corruption and bad governance.

    “Today the dollar rate is one Naira to 500 dollars and the salaries of Nigerian workers have remained the same.

    “Therefore, we are here to urge the National Assembly to play an important role to ensure that life is made better for Nigerians.

    “We cannot succeed if the fight against corruption does not succeed.

    “We appreciate the efforts by the National Assembly to ensure financial autonomy for the local governments and this must be sustained because money meant for the local governments does not get there.’’

    The NLC chairman further expressed concern that in spite of the bailout funds to states for workers’ salaries, “the living condition of workers have not been improved because many are not paid’’.

    He explained that pensioners in the country were owed up to 77 months and called on the National Assembly to synergise with other arms of government to pay them.

    Contributing, the TUC President, Bobboi Kaigama said that the inflation rate in the country was growing astronomically.

    Kaigama said that it was time for governments at all tiers to go back to the drawing board to revive the country’s economy.

    “Whatever it takes, we must review the structure of our economy.

    “If we must kill corruption, the laws have to come from the National Assembly.

    “Nigerians are hungry, the cost of living is high, no houses, no light and factories have gone comatose,’’ Kaigama said.

    Responding, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, said it was time to go into action towards addressing the numerous challenges confronting Nigerians.

    According to him, we need to sit down and work out how to make necessary adjustments.
    “It can’t continue this way, the exchange rate is high, cost of things in the market have gone high but only the workers’ salaries remain the same.

    “By the next time we will meet, I will tell you what the National Assembly has done to improve the living condition of Nigerians,’’ Saraki said.

  • Amputate those who stole our money – NLC

    Amputate those who stole our money – NLC

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has  asked the  government to cut off the hands of those found to have stolen public funds to serve as deterrent for others while also naming and shaming them.
    Addressing a protest rally for good governance at the Unity Fountain in Abuja, President of Congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba said it was unfortunate that a few individuals have stolen the nation’s common wealth, while nothing has been done to bring them to book.
    Wabba said government must take concrete steps to prove to the world that it was serious win the fight against corruption and recover all stolen money, including the 22 billion dollars not remitted to the federation account from sale of oil and gas.
    He said when the hands of such people are amputated, Nigerians will be able to identify them as those who stole public funds and who are responsible for the current economic recession in the country.
    He said: “We must not allow a situation where few, because of their interest will hold the system to ransom. We are demanding increase in electricity supply and they are saying pay more tariff. We are demanding increase in minimum wage and they say they are going to be paying in percentage. We should not be tired.
    “Why should somebody steal one billion naira and walk the street free. We are demanding that they should be named and shamed. We are also demanding that one of their hands be cut off so that when we see them, we will know that they are people that has stolen our money.
    “So, let us not be tired. Not to pay salaries  and pensions is criminal. Not to increase our wages in this condition is corruption  and so, we must demand good governance and support the fight against corruption.”
    According to Wabba: “It is obvious that what we are doing today is in our collect interest. As working class and our families and as Nigerians, we must always make our voice know and heard very clearly.
    “Today, with what is happening in our system, we are actually at the receiving end because there is near absence of good governance and corruption is also fighting back very badly and we have been at the receiving end. Instead of addressing those challenges and paying salaries, what the are doing in some states is paying salaries in percentages.
    “The height of this challenge is the absence of good governance, accountability, transparency and the rule of law, any system that does not have those ingredients, the first group that will suffer is the working class and their families and the citizens.
    “That is why we are matching to canvass for good governance and also to lend our voice to saying that the fight against corruption must continue. If you look at the NEITI report, it states clearly that unremitted fund from the sale of oil and gas amount to another 22 billion dollars.”
    Vice President of Industrial Global Union and General Secretary of National Union of Textiles, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, comrade Issa Aremu said everything Labour warned Nigerians against during the fuel pride increase in 2016 has come to pass, but expressed happiness that Nigerians have decided to come out and demand accountability from the government.
    Aremu said the only way to get the country out of the current recession was for the government to reflate the economy and pay adequate salary to workers, pointing out that without payment of salaries and allowances to workers, the fight against corruption will not succeed.

  • Workers’ salaries: NLC to tackle Benue, Rivers government 

    Workers’ salaries: NLC to tackle Benue, Rivers government 

    Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) will soon tackle state owning workers’ salaries, NLC president, Ayuba Wabba has said.

    Wabba said Rivers and Benue states have been listed as priority states in the union will take on for not paying workers and pensioners.

    Wabba gave the hint during a meeting with Representatives of primary health care workers from Rivers, who were on solidarity visit at the weekend.

    Let’s not be under any illusion that any employer will give you your rights on a platter of gold, because there are competing demands,” he said.

    Rivers and Benue are among priority states the NLC will tackle for not paying workers and pensioners, insisting worker pay and resulting spending power could help lift the country out of recession.

    “Payment of salaries is not about resources; it is about priorities and we are not getting it right,” Wabba said of defaulting states.

    “For any system to get out of recession, citizens must have resources to buy and sell and pull the economy out of recession,” he noted.

    Speaking about continued neglect of worker demands, Wabba said, “Most of our workers are treated as slaves. Employment is a contract. We work, and it is difficult for [employers] to meet the terms of bargain.”

    Wabba also told the rivers state health workers who also used the meeting as a fence mending mission said, “Unity and sanctity of our movement is protected”, insisting it would strengthen workers’ bargaining power.”

    At the fence mending meeting which was held in Abuja, the workers also agreed to withdraw the case instituted against the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC).
    Both sides will today appear before the National Industrial Court to announce they have resolved to settle out of court.
    Rivers state NLC chairperson, Mrs Beeatrice Itubo announced at the meeting that Rivers health workers have agreed to withdraw their matter in court and pursue the part of peace.

    She added, “We will walk to court and tell the world that health workers ate civilised people and can resolve issues among themselves.

    “Only then we can resolve and see their issues sorted out in the state,” Beatrice Itubo, who chairs NLC in Rivers and was former state chairperson of MHWUN in Rivers when the contention started three years ago.

    “When you are speaking as a body, undivided, I think government will hear what you are saying,” she said, explaining outcome expected after both sides resolved to settle internal differences.”

    More than 3000 workers in primary health, under the aegis of MHWUN, were left out of harmonised health salary scale across the 23 local government areas of Rivers after council authorities failed to implement the scale for them.

    Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), President Joe Biobelemoye said “We have wasted two years speech making.”

    Officials say no two local government health workers are paid similarly, and computation of pay and benefits are at the unilateral discretion of council authorities.

  • Labour demands resignation of Health Minister

    Labour demands resignation of Health Minister

    Organised Labour made up of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has called for the resignation of the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, accusing him of working against government policy to protect whistle blowers who expose corruption in the country.
    Leaders of the two Labour Centres spoke in Abuja when they led members of organised Labour to picket the Federal Ministry of Health over the reinstatement of the Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Dr. Angela Uwakem who is currently been tried by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
    President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba also called for the reinstatement of over 200 workers of the hospital whose names was delisted from the IPPIS on the order of the Medical Director.
    Wabba said that organised Labour will continue to occupy the Federal Ministry of Health until the Minister of State who supervises the Federal Medical Centres and is allegedly currently sitting on the recommendations on the allegation against the Medical Director.
    He said: “We will occupy this office until the Federal Government moves in and until the whistle blowers whose names have been removed from the pay roll are recalled because the whistle blowers are also the people that will testify in court
    “The document has made it very clear that they reported this case, investigation have gone on and she has been charged officially to court and she has hired a senior Advocate of Nigeria with government money. Is that not a contradiction?.
    Speaking in the same vein, President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Bobboi Bala Kaigama said they want the minister to resign because he is deeply involved in the heart of corruption.
    Kaigama said “They say he who covers corruption is corrupt. So today, we stand to march against corruption. We start this sometime last year and we are also going to declare another day to work against corruption of February.
    “We have started this and it will never stop. If any officer, elected or appointed feels he or she wants to corruptly enriched himself, we are prepare to follow you anywhere until there is a change in that person and the country.”
    Also speaking at the protest,  President, Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), Josiah Biobelemoye said that there was a rumor that it was Mr President that ordered that the alleged corrupt CMD of Owerri should not be relieved of her appointment.
    “But we have found out it was not true,  Mr President was not even aware of the whole issue concerning Dr Uwakem. We want to plead with Mr President that even if he had said such a thing, it could be that he was not given the proper brief of the situation of the FMC, Owerri.
    “If we all want the Federal Ministry of Health to succeed in the fight against corrupt in the Public Service, the rules must be obey”, he said.

  • Greedy politicians causing workers’ hardship – NLC

    The Nigerian Labour congress (NLC) on Monday said greed by political office holders has continued to create hardship for workers in the country.

    The president of the congress, Mr. Ayuba Wabba, stated this at the International Trade Union Congress (ITUC-Africa) Regional Conference on “Advancing Decent Work in Global Supply Chain in Africa,” which began  in Abuja, Monday.

    The conference was organised by the NLC in collaboration with ITUC-Africa.

    He said there was  an urgent need to end corporate greed at all levels of the nation’s governance system.

    Wabba also said the ills and inequalities of multinational enterprises have left scars on the people.

    “Comrades and friends, on the issue of fighting to halt and ultimately end corporate greed, we are all witnesses to the ills and iniquities of multinational enterprises.

    “From 2007 to 2008 when corporate greed and market rascality plunged the world into a financial and later, harrowing economic crisis, working men and women, pensioners and communities suffered immense losses.

    “Till date, the miseries and hardship caused by their reckless and greedy actions have left scars on people, households, communities and economies,” the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted the NLC president as saying at the forum.

    Wabba blamed politicians for “offensive concessions to businesses and providing them tax havens.”

    ‎“Shockingly, rather than side with their people, constituents and constituencies, politicians and governments have continued to make obscene and offensive concessions to businesses,” he added.