The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Emmanuel Ademokun

  • Obaseki promises open administration

    Obaseki promises open administration

    Gov Godwin Obaseki of Edo has promised to operate an open door policy and commended workers in the State for the trust they have in his administration.

    The governor spoke at a dinner on Monday night to felicitate with members of the Nigeria Labour congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) on 2017 May Day.

    The dinner was held alongside an award night organised by the Edo chapters of NLC and TUC.

    The governor assured that he would operate an open door policy with them provided they continued to have confidence in his administration.

    “Nothing good thrives in a community where there is no trust, you have given me your trust and I will not betray that trust.

    “Today marks a new dawn, I want to be able to look back and say while I was a governor, I never had an incident of strike.

    “As long as you trust me, I will put every issue in front of you for dialogue”, he said.

    Obaseki promised the workers that the hosting of the Workers Day dinner would be a yearly event.

    The governor said his government did not the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), from collecting dues and levies from its members in the state.

    He said the present administration had adopted electronic system for revenue collection sequel to the ban on collection of taxes and levies by non government agents.

    Obaseki explained that the technology was being test run so that the union would start collection of tax and levies from its members via electronic payment before the end of May.

    The governor also commended leaders of the labour unions for the presentation of awards to outstanding personalities who he said had contributed immensely to the development of the state.

    Chairmen of the NLC and TUC in Edo, Emmanuel Ademokun and Marshall Orhue commended Obaseki for hosting the unions’ members to a dinner after gracing the May Day celebration earlier in the day.

    The duo said that the dinner went to show that the governor was workers friendly.

    They added that the labour unions working with the state government would build a stronger Edo state.

    Former Gov. Oserheimen Osunbor, former Deputy Governor Pius Odubu and immediate past Secretary to the State Government, Julius Ihonvbere were honoured.

    The organisers of the award said it was a tradition of the labour unions to present awards of excellence to outstanding Nigerians during workers day celebration.

  • NLC, TUC threaten protest, strike action in Edo

    NLC, TUC threaten protest, strike action in Edo

    Organized Labour in Edo State has threatened to embark on a mass protest and began an indefinite strike action if Governor Godwin Obaseki failed to meet their demands within seven days.

    The Labour movement made up of Nigeria Labour Congress (TUC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Joint Negotiation Council (JNC) issued the ultimatum at an enlarged State Executive Council meeting.

    It rejected the implementation of the contributory pension scheme which it said was done in ‘flagrant and total disregard to due process and rule of law.

    The Labour movement called on Governor Obaseki to urgently stop what it termed unlawful deductions from workers’ salaries and maintain status quo ante in the interest of industrial peace and harmony in the state.

    Addressing journalist after the meeting, State Chairman of NLC, Emmanuel Ademokun, condemned the non-utilization of about N11.3bn Paris Club refund received by the state government for the payment of outstanding workers’ pension and emoluments.

    Comrade Ademokun called on Governor Obaseki to immediately use the Paris Club refund to pay local government workers whose salaries arrears ranged from between four to 14 months.

    Other categories of workers to be paid from the fund according to Ademokun are staff of Tayo Akpata University and Colleges of Education in the state, Judiciary staff who are owed seven months salaries arrears, pensioners in both the state and local government and the 2016 Leave Transport Grant owes Primary School Teaching and non-teaching staff.

    Ademokun also called for the opening of the State Pension Board and arrears of salaries owed staff of the Pension Board since December, 2015.

    According to him, “That Organised Labour in Edo State can no longer repose confidence and trust in the administration of Mr. Governor because his policy decision are anti-workers and therefore repugnant to the principle of natural justice, equity and good conscience.

    “The State Government should open the window for a more comprehensive dialogue with the leadership of organized Labour in the state towards having a more reliable, dependable, transparent, purposeful and accountable Contributory Pension Scheme in the state.

    Ademokun gave Governor Obaseki till Sunday February 12 to meet the workers’ demand or face mass protest onFebruary 13 to be followed by an indefinite strike action on the 14th of February.

    When contacted for comments, Chief Press Secretary to Obaseki, Mr. John Mayaki said the Governor would soon address journalists on the matter.

    As at press time, Governor Obaseki was yet to address the press.

  • Fuel price hike: NLC declares indefinite strike in Edo

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Edo state Chapter, on Tuesday said it will begin an indefinite strike on Wednesday, irrespective of the industrial court order, restraining them from  embarking on industrial action to protest the fuel price hike.

    It described the court ruling as a black market injunction and urged its members and members of the civil society organizations not to succumb to threats in some quarters.

    The state chairman of the NLC, Emmanuel Ademokun, disclosed this while briefing journalists at the state secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Benin City.

    The NLC had earlier met with members of the affiliate unions.

    Ademokun said, “That order was a black market injunction and we are not going to abide by it.

    “The strike will commence on Wednesday.

    “As regard the Industrial court, we have never respected the order. The court restrained us from using the stadium. Oshiomhole was then the leader. We are going ahead to implement the strike and a directive has already been given from the national headquarters that the strike commences on Wednesday. There is no going back,” he stated.

     

     

  • NLC shelves proposed strike

    NLC shelves proposed strike

    Organised labour in Edo State has suspended its planned indefinite strike scheduled to begin yesterday.

    The decision to suspend the strike was contained in a communique issued after an enlarged state executive council session on Monday.

    NLC threatened to embark on an indefinite strike if the government refused to pay the arrears of 10.5 per cent Teachers Salary Allowance (TSA), release of backlog of promotions, recall the 920 teachers whose salaries were stopped in December, among others.

    The State Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Chairman, Emmanuel Ademokun, had said there was no going back on the strike until all their demands were met.

    The communique noted that the government has made an offer to meet the request of organised labour in relation to the 53.37 per cent salary relativity in question.

    Ademokun said Governor Adams Oshiomhole wrote an apology letter to the unions on the alleged manhandling of some labour leaders by Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Lawrence Loye, last year.

    He said the government agreed to pay a part of the salary relativity and added that the unions were waiting on the directive of the national leadership of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) on the next line of action based on the assessment test and on the sacked 920 teachers.

    The NLC chairman said they would support whatever action the planned to take.

     

  • Edo indicts 1,800 workers

    •Labour issues ultimatum on sacked teachers

    There was tension among Edo State government workers yesterday, following rumours that some were sacked.

    Some workers were said to have been issued letters to explain some discrepancies in their age or credentials, following verification by the government.

    Nine hundred and twenty teachers were sacked in December after the government concluded verification.

    State chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress Emmanuel Ademokun after an emergency meeting said no worker was sacked.

    But he confirmed that 1,800 workers were indicted in the report by the Information and Communication Technology department after the staff audit.

    Ademokun said the workforce in the state without the judicial workers was less than 3,000.

    “ICT has compiled reports and the staff strength is less than 5,000. Before the comrade governor came on board, we were about 15,000 but the number reduced due to retirement. Of 5,000, 1,800 have been indicted for falsifying their age or not presenting their primary school certificates.

    “We are aware that 1,800 workers are involved. We are awaiting directives from government. We have not been briefed. Before government carries out any retrenchment, it must inform Labour. We are up to the task, if the government fails to do that.

    “It is a rumour that the affected workers will not get their salaries. Government has not removed their names from the vouchers. In our communiqué to government we gave them up to February 28 to recall those sacked teachers.

    By March 3, the workers will go on an indefinite strike. What you are hearing are mere rumours, until there is a pronouncement by the government.”

    Commissioner for Information Louis Odion said no decision had been taken by the government to sack any worker.

    Odion said the list being circulated was fake.

    The commissioner said the government’s action was a routine administrative exercise to verify the number of workers.

    “Whatever list going round is fake. The verification is a legitimate exercise, which we have a right to do. It shows the government is not discriminatory as alleged by the teachers that they were targets of the staff auditing. “