The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Bobboi Kaigama

  • 2015: TUC tasks government on security

    The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) on Monday called on the Federal Government to address the issue of security in the country to ensure hitch-free elections in 2015.

    This is contained in a statement signed by the President and Secretary General of the Congress, Bobboi Kaigama and Musa Lawal in Lagos.

    The statement urged security agencies to take proactive steps to re-establish total peace and security in the country.

    “We also advise all politicians to desist from using violence and other unlawful means to attain power.

    “It is the prerogative of God, often expressed through the people’s votes, to give power to whomsoever He pleases,” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted TUC as saying in the statement.

    It stated that the TUC was disturbed by reports of proliferation of arms and ammunition in the country.

    “We recall reported assertions by Mr. Frank Mbah, Spokesman of the Nigeria Police Force that there are over 10 million illegal arms in West Africa and that about seventy per cent of them are in the hands of Nigerians.

    “He (Mbah) further affirmed that two million guns are in the hands of Nigerian civilians – one million registered and the remaining one million illegally held by criminals and other people.

    “If these claims are anything to go by, it means that nobody is safe in this country.”

    According to the statement if all the security challenges are left unchecked, it will disrupt the country’s hard-earned democracy.

     

  • TUC, NLC to curtail strikes

    TUC, NLC to curtail strikes

    The Trade Union Congress (TUC) of Nigeria and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) are to collaborate to end industrial actions in the country from 2014, President of TUC, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama has said.

    He said the two labour umbrella bodies are partnering to curb incessant strikes among their affiliates.

    He assured Nigerians and the government that incessant industrial actions witnessed during the year would be curbed as from next year.

    He said as trade union leaders, they consider strike as the last resort in industrial disputes, adding that the union will see how to resolve it next year.

    “We are going to do our best to see how we will resolve issues before it degenerated into industrial strikes,” he said.

    He regretted the prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other strikes that had paralysed the economy.

    Also on the threat by PENGASSAN to embark on strike this yuletide, Kaigama said it was a way of showing their grievances.

  • TUC threatens strike over pension scheme

    THE Trade Union President (TUC), Mr Bobboi Kaigama, has threatened to shut the economy should there be any case of corruption or fraud in the new Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).

    Kaigama, who is also of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), said despite checks against abuses in the new CPS, labour would not hesitate to declare a strike should there be fraud.

    “We will not hesitate to shut the entire space if this happens,” he added.

    Also, employers in the private sector are kicking against a further hike in their contributions to the scheme, arguing that it would affect them.

    Director-General, Nigeria Employers Consultative Association,  NECA, Mr Segun Oshinowo, said employers were over-burdened by various financial commitments, including payments to the Employees Compensation Act (ECA), insurance for employees, among others.

    He said the proposed review would have a ripple effect on the economy, adding that it could trigger layoffs of workers in organisations that may not be in position to accommodate further increase.

    “The argument is that it will become unsustainable. We should appreciate the fact that the scheme is to make life easy for employees. What of the ripple effect that will come with the increase in the percentage contribution? Some employers may want to reduce workforce because they cannot sustain it. Even government is finding it difficult to comply with the 7.5 per cent contribution, that is why they are having cold feet.

     

  • Kaigama emerges TUC new president

    Mr. Bobboi Kaigama has been elected as the new President of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC).

    Kaigama defeated Mr. Babatunde Ogun of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria with 356 votes in the election held on Saturday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Ogun got 314 votes in the peaceful election that was monitored by all past presidents of TUC.

    The new TUC President, who is the President of Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, is succeeding Mr. Peter Esele.

    In his acceptance speech, Kaigama said the new leadership would work with the government and private sector employers to improve the welfare of workers.

    “The mandate given to us is to be good ambassadors so that we will better the lot of Nigerian workers,” he said.

    Kaigama assured that the new executive would build on the existing foundation in the provision of housing for workers and a new secretariat for the congress.

    He said that his team had developed a blue print on the welfare of workers and ways to address various challenges.