The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Construction workers

  • Two construction workers die inside well

    Two construction workers die inside well

    Two construction workers died yesterday inside a well in Ile-Ife.

    The Nation gathered that the incident occurred at 1:16pm opposite Ilesa Motor Park along Ife/Ilesa Road when one of the construction workers was fetching water.

    An eyewitness explained: “One of the workers was fetching water but he fell into the well, while attempting to retrieve it, the second man was trapped.

    Read Also: Confusion as two construction workers die inside well

    “The co-worker, who attempted to rescue him, was also trapped in the well.They were engaged from Iwo town to work on the site.”

    Spokesperson of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps(NSCDC), Osun State Command, Mrs Kehinde Adeleke, confirmed the incident.

    She added that the bodies of the two workmen were retrieved by NSCDAC’s operatives and men of the Federal Fire Service.

  • Confusion as two construction workers die inside well

    Confusion as two construction workers die inside well

    There was confusion in Ile-Ife on Thursday when two yet-to-be-identified construction workers died inside a well. 

    The Nation gathered the incident occurred around 1:16PM opposite Ilesa motor park along Ife/Ilesa road when one of the workers was fetching water at the well. 

    An eyewitness said: “One of the workers was fetching water but accidentally the fetcher fell inside the well, while attempting to retrieve it, he was trapped. 

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    “The co-worker attempted to rescue him was also trapped in the well. They were engaged from Iwo town to work on the site.”

    Osun spokesperson of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps(NSCDC), Mrs Kehinde Adeleke confirmed the incident. 

    She noted that the corpses were retrieved by operatives and men of the Federal Fire Service.

  • Construction workers demand payment of N35,000 wage

    Construction workers demand payment of N35,000 wage

    Workers in the construction industry have demanded the payment of N35, 000 wage award approved for workers in the public sector from the Construction and Civil Engineering Employers Association of Nigeria.

    The workers, under the aegis of National Union of Civil Engineering Construction, Furniture and Wood Workers and the Construction and Civil Engineering Senior Staff Association, said their employers have failed to negotiate the wage award to cushion the hardship brought about by the removal of fuel subsidy.

    At a briefing by the leadership of the two unions – National Presidents, NUCECFWW, Stephen Okoro and CCESSA, Ayodeji Adeyemo, the construction workers threatened a three day warning strike, which may commence this week, if nothing was done by their employers.

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    They accused the Federation of Construction Industry (FOCI) of deliberately frustrating negotiations on the wage award, even after the involvement of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.

    The unions say they had initiated talks on a likely wage increase even before the new government removed subsidy on petrol in May, 2023.

    The workers called on the Construction and Civil Engineering Employers Association of Nigeria to respect the sanctity and spirit of the wage award agreement between the government and organised labour.

    The aggrieved workers said they are ready to embark on an indefinite national industrial action should those concerned fail to negotiate a wage award with their union after the three-day warning strike.

  • Construction workers begin indefinite strike

    • Express concern over building collapse

    THE Union of Civil Engineering, Construction, Furniture and Wood Workers (NUCECFWW) has commenced an indefinite strike.

    The members said they  embarked on the strike because of the failure of the union and their employers to implement the agreements signed by the two parties some months ago.

    At a briefing, the National President, Comrade Amechi Asugwuni, criticised the employers – the Federation of Construction Industry (FOCI).

    According to Asugwuni, a document known as National Joint Industrial Council (NJIC), contains the terms and conditions of service for junior employees, which must be reviewed every two years.

    “The document was due for review last year, when the FOCI, in letter signed by its Director General, Olubunmi Adekoya which dated September 1, 2010 with reference number:  FED/NUCECFWW/2015/OA/SAO, had requested the construction employees through their union to submit proposal for the review of the document,” he said.

    The letter, made available to reporters, read in part: “As you are aware, the current NJIC Agreement is due to expire soon. We hereby request that you submit your proposal for 2015 Negotiation so that we can plan accordingly.”

    Asugwuni alleged that having submitted the proposal as requested, FOCI started twisting the rules of the game, claiming that it was not ready for any negotiation.

    “Their recalcitrant actions have prompted this strike and unless they are ready to go back to the negotiation table, the strike continues. It is either NJIC or nothing. This, we are saying, is sacrosanct,” he said.

    The construction workers union also alleged that Nigerians had suffered alot of unwarranted retrenchment in the industry, adding that, among others, a construction company that used to have up to 18000 workers is left with fewer than 8000 workers.

    Asugwuni also alleged that upon the huge pressure mounted on the workers, they were still not getting any remuneration or allowance that justifies their service.

    “Embarking on this nationwide strike did not just happen, it is as a  result of failure on the part of our employers to sustain dialogue which is the most required and viable option for every Negotiation.

    “Various meetings were initiated by this union but they had never got the time to sit with us and dialogue with us, even as they are the one expected to initiative such meetings for dialogue. It appears they have something to achieve from doing this but for us, no going back on the decision until they are ready to come to terms,” he said.

    While urging the Ministry of Works to engage in resolving the controversy, he  expressed concern over recurring building collapse in the country, saying that the government still has much to do in the areas of awarding contracts and supervising them.

    “Many of the collapse buildings were constructed by those who are not our members; those bridges and buildings constructed by our members more than a hundred years ago are still there strong and reliable. There is need to award major contract to our members who are Nigerians, because we understand the implications of whatever the work that we on the country,” he said.

  • Photo: Construction workers protest poor welfare

    Photo: Construction workers protest poor welfare

    CHINA CIVIL ENGINEERING CONSTRUCTION COMPANY WORKERS PROTESTING OVER POOR WELFARE PACKAGES IN LAGOS ON TUESDAY
    CHINA CIVIL ENGINEERING CONSTRUCTION COMPANY WORKERS PROTESTING OVER POOR WELFARE PACKAGES IN LAGOS ON TUESDAY

  • Construction workers threaten strike over casualisation

    • Chinese firms gets 14-day ultimatum

    The National Union of Civil Engineering Construction, Furniture and Wood Workers (NUCECFWW) has issued a 14-day ultimatum to Chinese construction firms over what it termed unfair labour practices in Nigeria, particularly the casualisation of  workers in all its sites and offices.

    The Union threatened to commence industrial action from July 17 when the ultimatum expires should the Chinese construction companies fail to stop their unholy labour practices.

    At a briefing at the Union’s National Secretariat in Lagos, the President-General of NUCECFWW Comrade Amechi Asugwuni said the Chinese construction companies, including China Engineering Construction Company (CECC), China Railway Construction Corporation Limited (CRCC), and CGC Nigeria Limited have been observing all relevant labour laws in Nigeria only in the breach hence, the Union was compelled to register its displeasure and disappointment.

    Asugwuni said apart from the casualisation of 90 per cent of workers, the Chinese construction firms refused to adhere to safety rules, such as conveying workers to work places with open trucks and trailers, complete disregard to provision of medical attention to workers, and neglect to other health and safety rules such as use of safety wears.

    Other alleged anti-labour practices by the Chinese construction companies, which did not go down well with the Union include intimidation and victimisation of workers, refusal to unionise the workers, none adherence to the provisions of the local content policy, which made human resources/industrial relations practice difficult and non-implementation of the NJIC Agreement.

    “The National Headquarters of the Union cannot fold its arms and watch yet another era of labour slavery and exploitation, despite series of agreements reached between the Union and the management of the Chinese construction companies in Nigeria to put a stop to these un-holy practices, none of which was implemented,” Asugwuni warned.

    He noted: “The action of the management of the Chinese construction companies amounted to not just a violation of the fundamental rights of the workers, but also a clear violation of the Nigeria labour laws, constitution and international conventions and standards.

    “In the light of the fore-going, the Union has already issued a 14-day ultimatum to all Chinese construction companies in Nigeria within which all issues enumerated are fully implemented or face industrial actions nationwide,” he said, accusing the government of failing to prevail on the Chinese companies to adhere to the expatriate quota policy.

    He accused the government of failing to enforce strict compliance with the terms of contract for capital projects.

  • Construction workers seek end to insecurity

    Construction workers seek end to insecurity

    A group, Federation of Construction Industry (FOCI), has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to arrest the insecurity in the sector to avoid its imminent collapse.

    Decrying the high rate of kidnapping, shooting and even killing of construction workers especially expatriates, FOCI in its last council meeting said there was need for adequate security to save its workers and Nigerians from everyday security challenges as they go about their activities.

    President of the association, Mr. Solomon Ogunbusola, said it was time for government to shun sentiments and bring all culprits fuelling insecurity in the country to book.

    “The time has come for the government to avoid being sentimental about challenges facing our security agencies. All hands must be on deck to arrest the perpetrators of these nefarious acts.

    “The people that engage in widespread killings are not ghost and they live among us. Therefore, our security agencies must identify them and bring them to justice,” he said.

    Ogunbusola identified such issues as inconsistent government policies; administrative and procedural red tape leading to escalating costs of contract; multiple taxation; delay in payment of certified jobs leading to incurred liabilities among others as some issues affecting the industry.

    According to him, “government should summon political will to address these problems because they are negatively affecting the construction industry and in turn the economy. These developments are seriously slowing down grown and maintenance of the country’s infrastructure and are capable of grinding them to a halt.

    “As one of the leading employer’s organization in the private sector, FOCI believes urgent steps must be taken to address these issues and prevent imminent economic tragedy, “he said.