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Tag: Comrade Ayuba Wabba

  • June 12: Remove all obstacles to free, fair, credible elections – NLC

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Monday asked the federal government to identify fully with the ideals and lessons of June 12 by removing all obstacles to free, fair and credible elections in the country.

    In a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja, President of Congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba also wants the federal government to erect a cenotaph in honour of Nigerians and foreigners alike who participated in the June 12 struggle.

    The NLC said that beyond declaring June 12 as a national holiday, the government should do everything possible to institutionalise the lessons learnt from the June 12 experience.

    According to the congress, one of the “lesson of June 12 is our capacity as a people to organize free, fair and credible elections. The National Electoral Commission headed by Professor Humphrey Nwosu designed a very unique system of electioneering known as Option A4.

    “This dealt a mortal jab at numerous infractions in our electoral process. Nigerian workers expect that with the introduction of technology in our electoral process, elections in Nigeria should be freer, fairer and more credible than the June 12 outcome.

    “Unfortunately, this is not so as politicians have shown from their conduct in recent elections that violence, vote buying, fraud and abuse of the power of incumbency, and not the will of the electorate, are the most critical success factors in electoral contests.

    “There is more to June 12 than the symbolic commemorations. We urge the Federal Government to identify fully with the ideals and lessons of June 12 by removing all obstacles to free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria.

    Read Also:June 12 annulment elite conspiracy, says Presidency

    “This can be best achieved by evolving the needed political will for the deepening of popular democracy and fully implementing the Justice Uwais Electoral Reform Report especially aspects that recommended the setting up of Election Offences Commission, representative cum non-partisan recruitment of INEC leadership and INEC unbundling for increased professionalism.

    “We also call on the government to also enforce relevant provisions in our Electoral Act that place a ceiling on political campaign financing and criminalize violence, vote buying and sundry fraudulent acts.”

    The statement reads: “The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on behalf of Nigerian workers celebrates and congratulates all Nigerians on the 25th Anniversary of the June 12, 1993 presidential election. President Muhammadu Buhari has already declared June 12 as a national holiday in commemoration of our democracy.

    “He has also conferred the highest honour in the land to the arrowhead of the June 12 struggle, Chief MKO Abiola. This confirms June 12 as a muster point of our democratic aspirations as one people united by the quest for wellbeing, dignity and prosperity.

    “We salute the working class, civil society activists, the trade unions, women and student groups for their roles and sacrifice in defending the sanctity of June 12 and enthroning our current democracy.

    “Nigerian workers celebrate not just the day – June 12 – but the ideals and the progressive credentials of the icons behind the day. The mast of Chief MKO Abiola’s campaign was “Hope 93”. The core of his campaign message was the promise to eradicate poverty.

    “Not a few political commentators believe that Chief Abiola’s towering image as a foremost international philanthropist and humanist rubbed a lot of credence on his promise of hope.

    “The results of June 12, 1993 elections showed clearly that Chief MKO Abiola’s personality and promise of poverty eradication united millions of Nigerians who defied religious and ethnic boundaries to elect him as the President of the aborted Third Republic.

    “Out of the then 30 states, Chief Abiola won 19 states. A significant feat of great political value was that Chief Abiola won at least a state in all the geopolitical zones of Nigeria.

    “Though from Ogun State in Southern Nigeria, Chief Abiola defeated his only rival, Alhaji Bashir Tofa, in both his ward and in his home state of Kano State. Such a feat has never been recorded in Nigeria’s political history. June 12 was simply epochal.

    “When the June 12, 1993 elections was annulled by the military junta led by General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, it was like dusk at sun rise. Nigerians from all walks of life were united in condemning the annulment and demanding the inauguration of Chief MKO Abiola as the President of the Federal Republic.

    “Perhaps, apart from Labour’s struggle against neo-liberal tendencies of successive governments, no other struggle has resonated with Nigerians as the June 12 struggle. For this reason, at an occasion like this, we must all be sobered and tempered by the ideals and lessons of June 12.

    “The first lesson of June 12, is the capacity of our people to rise above ethnic and religious sentiments to recruit political leadership solely on the basis of antecedence, performance and ability to deliver desired developmental goals. This credits our ability as a people to build a modern nation state.

    “The fact that Chief MKO Abiola and his running mate, Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe; both Muslims, enjoyed popular acceptance across the geo-political zones of Nigeria deals a cruel blow on the aspirations of many politicians of today to acquire political capital on ethnic and religious premise.

    “Abiola’s politics had content – freedom from poverty. He walked the talk. Nigerians trusted him with their votes. We can hardly say the same of today’s politician who though adorned in the garb of ethno-religious pretensions yet impoverishes the rest of us with mindless looting and dubious perks of office.

    “The second lesson of June 12 is that of the nobility of democratic values and struggles. June 12 represents the struggle for the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria. June 12 also epitomizes the values of freedom, respect for the rule of law and social justice for all.

    “June 12 teaches us that there is lasting reward for every genuine effort to dare injustice. Chief MKO Abiola did not give up on the mandate freely given to him by Nigerians. He dared. Today, he has truly won.

    “We can say the same of other Nigerians such as the legendary Senior Advocate of the Masses, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, who was mercurial in his fight for democratic rights. There is also the slain wife of Chief Abiola, Alhaji Kudirat Abiola, who soldiered on like a true amazon behind her persuasion on the sanctity of June 12, and amidst very horrifying odds.

    “The 25th Anniversary of June 12 grants us a good space to reflect on our role as organized labour in the promotion and defense of democracy in Nigeria. The Nigeria Labour Congress was proscribed by the military dictatorship of General Sani Abacha on the account of our principled rejection of the annulment of June 12.

    “Many of our comrades and labour leaders suffered extreme persecution in the hands of the state because of their persuasion on Jun 12.  Comrade Frank Kokori was incarcerated in Bama Prisons on the account of June 12. Space will fail us to list the names of labour leaders, academics, activists and other patriotic Nigerians including NADECO leaders who were tortured, imprisoned, exiled or even killed because of June 12.

    “The NLC has consolidated these efforts by championing national campaigns for electoral reforms. The most prominent milestone of our modest strive are fruits from Justice Uwais Electoral Reform Committee, which NLC was part of. We are also making efforts to reposition the Labour Party. As we said at the 2018 May Day celebration, Nigerian workers will continue to dare and to win.

    “Nigerian workers enjoin the Federal Government to honour Nigerians and even foreigners who suffered enormous discomfort, endured state persecution and even paid the supreme price on the account of their unwavering commitment to the June 12 struggle.

    “Like we admonished in our earlier press statement commending the government of President Muhammadu Buhari for the recent honor done to the memory of Chief MKO Abiola, we restate our appeal that a June 12 Cenotaph be erected in the honour of heroes, heroines and icons of the June 12 struggle.”

  • New minimum wage: Labour insists on September deadline

    The organised labour is set to do battle with the federal government in its quest to actualise the proposed new minimum wage The Nation can authoritatively report.

    Giving this indication at the weekend was Comrade Ayuba Wabba, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

    Speaking with our correspondent on the sidelines of the International Labour Conference, in Geneva, Switzerland, Wabba said the organised labour will ensure that the timeline set by the Tripartite Committee on the Implementation of the National Minimum Wage is not altered.

    While commenting on the readiness of the new minimum wage by September, Wabba said the date was achievable. “Certainly, if all members of the tripartite committee are committed to doing what is right and working within the timeline that the committee has already set for itself. I’m of the firm belief that it is something that can be achieved.”

    He was however quick to add that labour will not hesitate to wield its big stick should the federal government renege on its plan.

    “I don’t want to keep repeating myself. I have told you that at the tripartite committee, we all commit to a timetable and timeline which is known and everybody is aware of it. So the organised labour represented by NLC and TUC are committed to following that timetable and timeline. We made that very clear from the beginning after the inauguration of the committee because the first thing they did was to look at the scope of the work and the time it will take for us to deliver, to complete the tripartite negotiation and make sure that we are able to deliver a comprehensive report. Given the process of give and take, with the commitment we have also received from the National Assembly, I don’t think that the centrality of the issue require any delay. So as organised labour, we are committed to the timeline that the committee has set for itself.”

    The organised labour, the NLC boss noted, is determined to actualise its mandate as far as the new minimum wage is concerned.

    “We have many ways of responding to issues and as we progress in the process, we will consult our organs and constituents and will be able to push the process through any other means that is legitimately allowed by law.”

    Echoing similar sentiments, Comrade Peters Adeyemi, Deputy President, NLC, who spoke with our correspondent at the weekend expressed dismay with the sudden volte-face by the federal government. “The issue of the national minimum wage where there was an understanding among the tripartite that everything be concluded by September. We were shock to read the Minister saying that September is no longer feasible. That is clearly unacceptable because Nigeria workers need the minimum wage. We know the efforts we put in even before government decided to set up the committee.”

    It would be recalled that the Labour Minister, Chris Ngige had noted that the new National Minimum wage is expected to conclude its work by the end of September and present its report to the government for deliberation and approval.

    President Muhammadu Buhari had last November inaugurated a 30-man Tripartite National Minimum Wage Committee headed by a former Head of Service of the Federation, Ms. Ama Pepple, urging the members to come up with a fair and decent wage for Nigerian workers.

     

  • ‘September date is sacrosanct’

    Comrade Ayuba Wabba, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has hinted that the organised labour will explore a number of options to ensure the actualisation of the proposed new minimum wage on the September set date. He spoke with Tony Akowe on the sidelines of the International Labour Conference, in Geneva, Switzerland. Excerpts:

    Recently when the Minister of Labour said the minimum wage may not be ready by September, the organised labour movement responded condemning the statement. With the type of work left to be done by the committee, do you really think that the minimum wage can take effect in September or even this year?

    Certainly, if all members of the tripartite committee are committed to doing what is right and working within the timeline that the committee has already set for itself. I’m of the firm belief that it is something that can be achieved. This is because it is something that is important to the welfare of the Nigerian worker and I know that there is no system of administration that will not look at the welfare of workers and treat it as paramount. So, clearly speaking, if we are to go by the timeline which the tripartite committee represented by government, employers and workers are able to work assiduously towards it, it is something that is deliverable and can be achieved. So, we are still keeping faith with the process.

    The orgainsed labour is known for giving ultimatum and timeline. Is labour considering giving a timeline for the implementation of the minimum wage and for how long are you ready to hold on?

    I don’t want to keep repeating myself. I have told you that at the tripartite committee, we all commit to a timetable and timeline which is known and everybody is aware of it. So the organised labour represented by NLC and TUC are committed to following that timetable and timeline. We made that very clear from the beginning after the inauguration of the committee because the first thing they did was to look at the scope of the work and the time it will take for us to deliver, to complete the tripartite negotiation and make sure that we are able to deliver a comprehensive report. Given the process of give and take, with the commitment we have also received from the National Assembly, I don’t think that the centrality of the issue require any delay. So as organised labour, we are committed to the timeline that the committee has set for itself.

    And that timeline is September?

    Yes the timeline is August/September and we have said that very clearly.

    In case it doesn’t come to be, what will be the next step by the organised labour?

    We have many ways of responding to issues and as we progress in the process, we will consult our organs and constituents and will be able to push the process through any other means that is legitimately allowed by law.

     

  • ILO tackles Nigeria over gender rule

    The International Labour Organisation (ILO) is not happy with Nigeria for not adhering to its policy of fair gender representation in delegations attending its conference (ILC), Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) president Comrade Ayuba Wabba has said.

    The organisation insists on a minimum of 30 percent women representation in delegations to its yearly conference.

    Wabba, who spoke at the national preparatory meeting for the ILC, said had given Nigeria until the next conference to comply with its representation rule.

    He said: “From next session, the issue of gender representation will be top most. It was an issue that was discussed at the last governing board meeting and was agreed that the minimum acceptable will be 30 percent women representation. We are working towards equal representation.

    “They said that Nigeria is a country that has not respected that provision. From next year, the governing board has made it mandatory that all the delegations, both workers, employers and the government must reflect this very sensitive issue of gender representation. Many countries have actually exceeded that provision.”

    Wabba said the meeting was important as it enables Nigeria’s delegation discuss and take a position on issues during the conference, especially as it relates to the sustainable development goal which deals with decent work and the future of work.

    He said Nigeria had the largest delegation to the ILC.

    “I think that it is important that we are able to fit into the ILC system where we work and participate in various committees.

    “Participating in this meeting in the last two years has enriched ours, but we can do better. Many of our delegates participated in committee meetings last year, but not up to half of our delegation, but the participation has been very helpful. Even though we have gained some mileage, we can do better.

    “Nigeria is going as a delegation, so, the image of all of us and the constituents we represent is very key because whatever happens, Nigeria is the country that will be referred to and not the constituents. So, we should try to project our country and Organisation in a better light and our contributions must be positive and address those clear issues that the country will be out to address.

    “The first week of the conference is essentially about the work of the various committees and decisions will be taken in the second week. So, let us know where we can make impact because where preparations are made and decision to be taken and we are no where to be found, it does not portray us as people that are serious.”

    Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige said Nigeria’s active participation at the 107th session of ILC is crucial based on the import of items lined up for discussion at the conference, which cut across key aspects of labour administration.

    He said It is expedient for Nigeria to develop and articulate interventions that would make meaningful and positive impact on deliberations and decisions that will be taken at the Conference, adding that the ability to arrive at common ground on all interventions  will go a long way to ensure a successful outing for Nigeria.

    He made reference to the technical items placed on the agenda by the governing board which include effective ILO development corporation in support of the sustainable development goals, violence and harassment against women and men in the world of work, among others

    ILO Country Director, Dennis Zulu said Nigeria occupies a significant position in the global body, especially as a member of its governing board and challenges Nigeria’s delegation to consider views from other African countries.

    He said the first ILO office to be established on the continent was  in Lagos in 1957, an indication of the importance the organisation attached to Nigeria and its participation at the conference.

     

  • Labour seek new approach to security challenges

    Organised Labour which is made up of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) and former Deputy Governor of Nasarawa state, Prof. Onje Gyewado wants a change of approach to the fight against insurgents in the country, saying there can be no development in the country if the current wave of insecurity in the land is allowed to continue unabated.

    Specifically, Prof. Gyewado who is a professor of Law with the University of Jos wants the government to criminalize the current mass killings across the country, while those responsible should be treated as criminals if the killings must stop.

    Speaking at the Pre-May day lecture in Abuja, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba said it was just not enough to condemn the killings going on across the country without any concrete step being taken to bring to book all those responsible for the actions.

    Wabba said the government need to adopt a new approach to the issue as it was scaring away potential investors from the country.

    He said: “There is no development that can make any impact if, as a nation, the life of any citizen is being threatened or where the continuous shedding of innocent blood will continue unabated. I just read this morning that in three months, 136 lives were lost in Zamfara.

    “The case of Benue and other states across the country is something that is known to us. The primary purpose of governance is first the security of the people. Why appreciating whatever our armed forces and police have been able to do, I think more need to be done because the safety of every citizen is very important.

    “As we celebrate this May Day, we call on all relevant agencies to be mindful of what is happening in terms of the security of the citizens. No complain or condemnation will be enough.

    “What is required is a new approach and action that will bring the issues to an end. That is what will make Nigerians happy and bring about people that would want to invest in our country. The story outside the country is that every day, people are being killed and that nothing is going to happen. So, for us to prepare very veritable ground for investors to come in and for the country to continue to develop, the issue of security must be taken seriously.”

    Delivering a paper entitled “Labour and national development: not cowards, not traitors”, Prof. Gyewado challenged organised Labour to rise up to the challenge fed posed by the current security challenges in the country and take a definite stand.

    He said: “the Nigerian state is highly militarized. Our constitution provides that the military shall provide assistance to civil authority. But they are not providing assistance to civil authority now because they are now in it, the first line of action should be the police and civil defense.

    “But there is no zone now that there is no military establishment. It is not good for the psyche of a democratic nation. We must find a way of providing the basis to curtail this situation.

    “As Labour interrogate this challenge, I think that our attitude should be that if we don’t want to declare Boko Haram as insurgents, if we don’t what to declare whoever is marauding as killers as murderers, then we have a challenge. We now need.

    “More than ever before to isolate these areas and say anybody who is involved in this is a criminal and should be treated as a criminal. If you use insurgency, it has implication in international relations and so, we must criminalist these activities because if we don’t, the government lacks the capacity to negotiate.

    “I remember that the Borno Elders Forum were always complaining that you can’t continue to kill our children and yet won’t offer any solution and yet won’t bring them for negotiation, at which point can you negotiate or play love game with those who are causing us immeasurable damages and loss of lives. Injury to one is injury to all.

    “So, for those of us who are parents, we must feel the pain of the insecurity in this country and Labour must take a definite position on this. We must take our stand because we are the only dispassionate group and are not concerned about emotive things.”

    Prof. Gyewado said one of the biggest problem we have in our security architecture is lack of synergy among the various security outfit, saying “they are in competition with themselves against this country because they are not working for this country.”

    He said that the struggle of organised Labour is to reposition Nigeria and this has come over time, right from the colonial time, adding that “Over 70 percent of those in governance are not ready for governance. We do not understand what the issues are and by the time you want to tell a story, they perceived it as if you are coming from a foreign land. I do know that as unions, we do not want to go outside our regimes. I have been there and so. I also take responsibility of some of the policies that has affected our Labour.

    Labour, he said must continue to be the vanguard of the struggle. It is organised Labour that can co tenure to play that role and we won’t have challenges because it is already intrinsic in Labour to continue to show leadership.

    Read Also: New minimum wage: States must pay, says Labour

  • Minimum wage: NLC warns against excuses, says states should cut down spending

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has warned states and the organised private sector against coming up with excuses why they cannot implement the new national minimum wage currently being negotiated for Nigerian workers.

    The congress said the minimum wage was implementable the government can cut down on its numerous expenses and extravagant spending which many state government have embarked upon.

    President of the Congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba who spoke at a public hearing on the new national minimum wage organised for the north central zone in Lokoja said implementation of whatever is arrived at by the committee is implementable if state governments across the country will cut down on their excesses and large number of political appointees they parade.

    The warning became necessary as some state government within thr zone who were supposed to present their position to the committee stayed as well  the organized private sector led by the Nigeria Employers Consultatice Association stayed away from the public hearing.

    The Nation noticed that the employers body was conspicuously missing both at the Abuja and Lokoja public hearings while Benue, Kwara and Niger states were also not represented at the event organised by the Tripartite Committee on the new national minimum wage to collect from Nigerians into the work of the committee. 

    It was not immediately clear if the states and the employers body has submitted any written submission to the committee for consoderation.

    However, while Kogi state government pledged to abuse by the outcome of the committee recommendations, Plateau state said there has to be a corresponding increase in both internally generated revenue and allocation from.the federation account for the state to be able to implement the new wages that will be recommended.

    Wabba who is a member of the committee said utvwas unfortunate that some of those who are supposed to make their input into the work of the committee through the public hearing choose to stay away, adding that they should not turn round later to complain of not being carried along.

    He said further that states and employers of labour jave always complain of the inability to pay new wages, adding that the problem of the country was not  lack of resources by the ability to manage available resources.

    He stressed that government at all levels will reduce the large number of political appointees and the mismanagement of available resources, there will be enough resources to take adequate care of workers welfare, stressing that while States with huge allocations have been able to manage their resources and pay workers adequately, others have nor been able to do so, thereby owing workers salaries.

    He said states like Jigawa which did nor access the bailout fund have been able to pay salaries of their workers as and when due and also made one of the highest proposal on the new minimum wage to the committee.

    While pledging his state’s willingness to implement the new wages that will be arrived at, Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello wants to consider increasing distributable revenue in favoie of states and local government in other for them to have money to implement the new wage.

    Represented by his Deputy, Elder Simon Achuba, the Kogi governor said “Government earnings still depend principally on the Federation Accounts allocation. That is why we will continue to require the special assistance of the Federal Government for greater impact. To this end, we wish to commend the efforts of the Federal Government in assisting states with funds to settle their financial obligations to workers. This has greatly given respite to the states. 

    ” However, in view of the enormous burden of the obligation occasioned by huge and accumulated debts, we wish to appeal to the Federal Government to consider granting such relief regular intervals to enable states meet their obligation to workers in particular.  

    “We also urge the Federal Government to increase the distributable amount of the Federation Account to all tiers of government especially the States and Local Governments. We want to reiterate that Kogi State Government will always support the efforts of the Federal Government at alleviating and ameliorating the deplorable conditions of service of workers through enhanced salary packages. It is a statutory responsibility we intend to fulfil with zeal and commitment.”

    In its presentation, the Plateau state government said it was proposinf three different salaries of N25,000; N30,000 and N57,000, stressing however that ability to pay any of the recommended wages will depend on commensurate revenue both from the federation account and infernally generated revenue.

    According to the government, if there is no corresponding increase in revenue, the state may be compiled to down size the state work force, pointing out that despite the huge vacancies existinf in the state, the government has not been able to employ new workers because of the lack.of resources.

  • Buhari inaugurates Minimum Wage panel 

    Buhari inaugurates Minimum Wage panel 

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday inaugurated the Tripartite National Minimum Wage Committee at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Noting that the last minimum wage instrument has expired, he said that the government’s move now is to ensure a fair and decent living wage for the Nigerian workers.

    He said “You are all aware that during the period following the increase in Petrol Pump Price in May 2016, a Technical Committee was established to examine and make recommendations to Government on the measures to be adopted to cushion the envisaged painful effects of the increase on workers and the Nigerian populace at large.

    “During the deliberations of the Technical Committee which comprised Government and Organized Labour, the need for the review of the National Minimum Wage was highlighted and recommendation to set up a committee to look into the level of minimum wage was made accordingly. I am glad that the recommendation is being acted upon today and we can all acknowledge that this is in line with our democratic process. I wish to thank all those who participated in that exercise,” he said

    He stressed that the scope of the membership of the new National Minimum Wage Committee showed that it encompassed all stakeholders.

    The President also hoped that the outcome of the deliberations of the Committee would be consensual and generally acceptable.

    He urged the members to amicably consider the issue of a National Minimum Wage and all matters that are ancillary to it with thoroughness and concern not only for the welfare of the work-force but the effect on the country’s economy.

    He said “The subject of a National Minimum Wage for the Federation is within the Exclusive Legislative List of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). Accordingly, we should aim to go above the basic Social Protection Floor for all Nigerian workers based on the ability of each tier of Government to pay.

    “I say this because minimum wage is the minimum amount of compensation an employee must receive for putting in his or her labour and as such should be anchored on Social Justice and Equity.

    “Government’s decision after considering your final recommendation will be sent as an Executive Bill to the National Assembly for it to undergo appropriate legislative scrutiny before passage into law.

    “As is evident by the membership of the Committee, State Governors and Private Sector Employers are part of this process. This will ensure ease of implementation of a new Minimum Wage nationwide.

    “I am hopeful that the principles of full consultation with Social Partners and their direct participation would be utilized by the Committee, bearing in mind the core provisions of the International Labour Organisation Minimum Wage Fixing Convention No. 131 and Minimum Wage Fixing Machinery Convention No.26 (ratified by Nigeria).

    “Accordingly, conditions of genuine Social Dialogue should prevail in the spirit of Tripartism and Collective Bargaining Agreements. I therefore enjoin you all to collectively bargain in good faith, have mutual recognition for each other and always in a spirit of give and take.

    “The Committee is expected to complete its deliberations and submit its report and recommendations as soon as possible to enable other requisite machinery to be set in motion for implementation of a new National Minimum Wage.” he said

    According to a statement signed by the deputy director (Press) at the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Samuel Olowokere, former head of service of the federation, Ama Pepple, is to chair the Tripartite National Minimum Wage Committee

    The federal government team will be led by the minister of labour and  employment,  Dr Chris Ngige,  who is deputy chairman, while  the chairman, National Salaries, Income  and Wages Commission,Chief Richard Egbule,  will serve as secretary.

    Others in the the federal government team are the minister, Budget and  Planning, Udo Udo Udoma;  minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun; head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita ; permanent secretary, General Services Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Dr. Roy Ugo.

    A team from the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) includes Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola (South West), Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha (Souh East), Gombe State governor, Hassan Dankwambo (North East), Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike  (South South), Plateau State governor, Simon Lalong (North Central), and Kebbi State governor, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu (North West), while the director-general of NGF, A. B. Okauru will be an  observer.

    On the trade union’s side, the president, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba, leads a team that include, comrades Peters Adeyemi, Kiri Mohammed, Amechi Asugwuni, Peter Ozo-Eson .

    The Trade Union Congress  (TUC) team, led by its president, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama , has  comrades in its fold; Sunday Olusoji Salako, Alade Bashir Lawa, and Igwe Achese, the president, Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG)

    On the employers’ side are the director-general, Nigeria Employers’  Consultative Association (NECA), Mr Olusegun Oshinowo, Mr Timothy Olawale (NECA), Mr. Chuma Nwankwo (NECA); Mr Olubunmi Adekoje, DG, Federation of  Construction Industry (FOCI); Alhaji Ahmed Ladan Gobir, chairman, Kaduna East Branch, Manufacturers’ Association (MAN), Otunba Francis Oluwagbenro (MAN); Hajia Muheeba Dankaka, president, Kano Chambers of  Commerce, Industry, Mines and   Agriculture (NACCIMA),  Prince Degun Agboade, president, Nigeria Association of  Small and Medium Enterprises  (NASME).

  • NLC seek timeline for new minimum wage committee

    NLC seek timeline for new minimum wage committee

    The Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC ) said Friday that the congress will be canvassing for specific timeline for the negotiation of the new national minimum wage by the Tripartite Committee appointed by the President saying the issue was long overdue.

    NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba said in an interview that the congress expects the committee to consider the plight of Nigerian workers and pensioners during its deliberation in view of the current purchasing power of Nigerians.

    After nearly 16 months of agitations, the federal government on Thursday night announced the appointment of a 30 man committee made up of representatives of the federal government, Nigeria Governors Forum, Organised Labour and Employers to negotiate a new national minimum wage.

    The committee which will be inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari at the council chamber of the Presidential Villa on Monday, November 27 is expected to come up with a new minimum wage for all employers in both the public and private sector in the country.

    Wabba said: “The tripartite committee was the struggle of labour. It is something that we have expected long before now and so, I will say that it is a welcome development. Workers are concerned because of the challenged in the economy, so it is a welcome development that the tripartite committee has been appointed.

    “We hope that after the inauguration, the committee will commence work immediately so that we can cover some mileage and also cover the times that has been lost because this is something that workers have longed anticipated. We look forward to a speedy process because the issues are quite obvious.

    “If you look at the exchange rate, you discover that we virtually import most of the things we used and if you look at the exchange rate when the N18, 000 minimum wage was negotiated and an agreement signed in 2011, you discovered that it was almost equivalent to N110 to a dollars

    “Today, N18, 000 is less than 46 dollars and the reality of the situation is that the purchasing power of the ordinary Nigeria worker has dropped drastically. Our expectations is that the tripartite committee should look at the conditions of the Nigeria worker and pensioners and arrive at something concrete for them.

    “Let me tell you that there are places where pensioners are receiving less than N4000 and that calls for urgent consideration so that the whole issue of social imbalance and the issue of inequality and the widening gap of poverty can be addressed because you also know that there is lack of employment, therefore workers have a lot of burden taking care of their dependents.

    “There is no worker today that does not cater for several dependents. So it something that is timely and our expectation is that the process must be driven with all commitment and above all they should take in to contents the condition of workers and pensioners”.

  • Boko Haram may be regrouping, NLC warns FG

    Boko Haram may be regrouping, NLC warns FG

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has raised an alarm of what it called renewed threats posed by the Boko Haram insurgency to the security of the nation, saying available information have it that the insurgents were fast regrouping and pose potential threat to the nation.

    The congress said the insurgents have recently carried out some attacks in the north east which suggest they were regrouping to wreck more havoc on the people.

    President of the congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba who spoke at the National Executive Council meeting of the Congress in Abuja also said that Labour leaders have now become target for assassination, adding that it has reported the recent murder of a Labour leader in Kogi state to the global watch dog for Labour issues.

    While lamenting that workers have been at the receiving end of the harsh economic realities in the country, Wabba said the Congress has received formal communication from the government that they were ready to inaugurate the national minimum wage committee to review the current minimum wage.

    While saying that the committee’s inauguration was supposed to have been done, he said it had to be shifted to allow leaders of the Trade Union Congress return from an official engagement outside the country, hug insisted however that the committee must be given a particular time line to conclude negotiation.

    He also called for the immediate constitution of Boards of agencies and parastatals with workers representatives, pointing out that information available to the congress has it that President has already approved the composition of the board.

    He said the congress has tried to do a lot of policy engagement and look at the various sectors and the challenges from the economic to security and social angles as well as issues in our polity, adding that “clearly speaking, it is obvious that workers have been at the receiving end.

    “Some of the new trend suggest that workers have come under some level of attack and violation of their fundamental rights. When a worker is not being paid after 30 days, his rights have been violated. The same applies to the pensioner.

    “I want to salute your courage for confronting these challenges head on. We will continue to act in a way and manner that will make sure we advance issues of social justice in our system and rule of law and respect for dignity of law should be respected. Some of these challenges are numerous.

    “In the social angle, we are aware of the usual threat to throw our members out of their jobs and that has a lot of social consequences that will add to the problem. Unemployment of our youths is one of the challenges that Labour has tried to tackle over times.

    “Importantly also is the emerging trend in our security paradigm. Hitherto, we have celebrated the successes in areas where we have security challenges in the country. In the recent past, we have seen how the issues of Boko Haram has been responded to.

    “I think there is an emerging trend that suggest that they are actually regrouping. In recent time, we learnt that they have launched two attacks and this has actually raised some concerns. The same thing applies to the emerging agitations in the Niger Delta region.

    “The stability of any system is predicated on peace and stability. Without peace, no investor will be encouraged to do any kind of investment anywhere in Nigeria. That is why the primary purpose of governance anywhere around the world is peace, security and welfare of the people.

    “Therefore, peace and security is very important. When we have instability anywhere, it means that the issue of inequality will continue to be exacerbated. Therefore, we are concerned with all of this, but importantly is the issue of due process and the rule of law.

    “Workers have come under serious attack because those rights have been violated and we have evidences that such rights have been violated. Our political elites who swore by the constitution to uphold the sanctity of the rule of law and respect for human dignity have been acting with impunity. Anywhere there is lack of respect for the rule of law, there will anarchy and so, there will be survival of the fittest.

    “There is a new agitation through a process that is aimed at exploiting all of us by making sure that Labour issues are removed from the exclusive legislative list. We must strengthen our engagement. On no account should any state sign any undertaking on this issue without advancing our position.”

     

  • ‘Kogi workers now internally displaced’

    ‘Kogi workers now internally displaced’

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Wednesday said that the Congress will soon present the position of Nigerian workers on the ongoing debate on restructuring and devolution of power, just as it accused Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello of transforming workers in the state into Internally Displaced Workers.

    NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba who spoke while receiving the report of its committee on restructuring said the various organs of the party will study the report and present to Nigerians the position of Nigerian workers which they will canvass and defend at all times.

    He said that the Congress will interface with civil society organizations and the National Assembly to give voice to the position of workers.

    He said: “Restructuring is not only important to the Congress, but the entire Nigerian society and so the importance of the subject matter necessitated us creating a platform to engage the issue. A lot of Nigerians attended that forum and made their position known.

    “This committee was put in place to collate the recommendations with a view to presenting the working class perspective on the entire discourse around restructuring. This is important because there has been a lot of approaches and recommendations on how to approach the issue of restructuring and devolution of power.

    “We feel that workers need to be represented in the debate and their perspective heard because they need to have a position which they will defend and propagate.

    “The entire organs of the Congress will study the recommendations s and at the end of the day, it will come up with a position that Nigerian workers will canvass across the length and breadth of this country as the position of the working class and their families as well as pensioners. This first step and ultimately is to get to our National Executive Council where a decision will be taken.”

    On the demand for accountability and good governance, Wabba said “the NLC is the first Organisation to led two national rallies to demand for accountability and we will not stop at that. We will do whatever it takes, including calling names and even after they have left office, the process of investigating the, must be on. Some of them enjoy immunity no, but it will not be forever. Therefore it is going to be an ongoing process.

    “You may be aware that we have taken this fight from one state to another because it is also good to priories. Some of the governors have done well and we have tried to encourage them, but some have done extremely bad in terms of managing these resources.

    “We are going to name and shame them and you are aware that we have started that. We have visited some of them and have even identified how many months they are owing workers, including pensioners and we are not going to stop until we get a better deal for Nigerian workers and pensioners.

    “We must continue to canvass for issues of good governance because a lot of them are hiding under the fact that the fight against corruption has not been taken with much enthusiasm to the level of states. That is why some of those issues are still happening. We have all it takes to drive the process to that level and we will continue in that manner.”

    Speaking on the development in Kogi state, he accused the state governor of turning civil servants in the state into destitute and appealed to Nigerians to send relief materials to the workers who he said are dying daily.

    He said that Nigerians will recall that when the issue transparency and accountability was raised on the floor of the state house of assembly regarding the Paris club refund and why workers are not been paid, thugs were brought to harass and beat up members.

    He said that the current state of workers in the state “require our collective urgent attention and organised Labour is going to respond promptly. The Minister of Labour has tried to intervene by calling a tripartite meeting, the governor has refused to attend any of such meetings and no official of the state government has responded to any of those meetings.

    “We are looking at this issue as a test case. Nobody should be seen to be above the law and so, if the law says a worker is entitled to be paid after 30 days, anything after that is an act of illegality and must be condemned. We are going to mobilize our structure across the country and visit the state.

    “We learnt that he like using thugs so much, we will be ready for him. We want to send the signal that workers should not be taken for granted. Good governance entails that every structure and every person in authority must be accountable, must be responsible and be able to put issues in perspective and provide a level playing ground where those issues can be resolved.

    “But he has proven that he is not ready for dialogue, but that he is ready to ensure that these poor workers and pensioners will continue to be impoverished. We will give our people the required support because already, these people are already Internally displaced workers and so, we call on Nigerians from all works of life to send relief materials to those workers who are dying aimlessly. Nigerians should be their brother’s keepers because this is an act of irresponsibility and so, we must respond effectively to this issue.”