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Tag: Ikechukwu Nwafor

  • Nkah urges Waba to recognise him as NLC chairman in Ebonyi

    Nkah urges Waba to recognise him as NLC chairman in Ebonyi

    Mr Leonard Nkah, Acting Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC ), Ebonyi chapter, has asked the National President of the union, Ayuba Waba, to recognise him as the authentic chairman in the state.

    Nkah, in a letter to the NLC President, written by his lawyer, Mr Roy Nwaeze, said that the former Chairman, Ikechukwu Nwafor, was constitutionally removed from office.

    Nkah in the letter made available in Abuja, said that Nwafor was removed from office on March 15, 2017, for failure to give account of his stewardship.

    “The Ebonyi NLC executive met, with a quorum of more the 60 per cent, deliberated on the misconduct of Nwafor and his failure and neglect to render account of his stewardship and resolved to suspend him indefinitely.

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    “ Nwafor was ordered to surrender all the property of the Ebonyi NLC to Nkah.

    “ Notwithstanding the suspension, and even though Nkah had effectively taken over, Nwafor has refused till date, to surrender all the property of Ebonyi NLC to Nkah or render account of his stewardship.’’

    Nwaeze said that rather than hand over as ordered by the NLC executive; Nwafor went to court to challenge his removal.

    He said that one of the prayers sought in the Suit No. NICN/ABK/01/2017, in the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Enugu, was to restrain Nkah, from parading himself as acting chairman, a prayer the court did not grant in its ruling on Nov. 15.

    “ The consequent legal effect of the refusal is that Nkah remains the acting chairman, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

    “ All parties are under compulsive obligation to obey and not derogate from same,’’ Nwaeze noted.

    He urged the NLC president to accord recognition to Nkah, since the facts are clear.

    “ We respectfully demand that you recognise Nkah as acting chairman and cease from further recognizing Nwafor as NLC chairman in Ebonyi, pending determination of Suit No. NICN/ABK/01/2017.’’

    Nwaeze said that he took time to explain issues to avoid being compelled to “ initiate contempt proceeding against any person acting contrary to the court order.

    NAN

  • New Ebonyi NLC leadership assures workers of purposeful leadership

    The new leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Ebonyi has assured workers that the union would protect their interest and insist on enhancement of workers’ welfare.

    The Acting Chairman, Mr Leo Nkah, spoke on Thursday in Abakaliki at a pre-May Day Rally, with the theme: : ‘Repositioning NLC for enhanced workers’ benefit.’
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), recalls that Nkah became the acting chairman following the removal of Mr Ikechukwu Nwafor, who was accused of abuse of office and financial related offences.

    Nkah said that the purpose of the rally was to interact directly with the members since the inception of his administration.

    He also said that the event was mainly to interface with workers and intimate them on what to expect from the new NLC leadership.

    “Since the change of leadership in NLC, all that people have been hearing are through third party medium.

    “We decided to use the rally to interface with workers, talk with them and give them hope on what we can achieve from the state government, that has not been possible before now,” Nkah noted.

    Nkah assured workers of rapid response and implementation of their welfare shortly after Easter celebration.

    Gov. David Umahi, on his part urged workers to exercise patience as his administration was committed to enhancing their welfare.

    Umahi, represented by Mrs Grace Chukwu, Senior Special Assistant on Labour Matters, promise to review workers’ needs such as salaries, leave allowances and promotions.

    “We will review workers’ salaries, leave allowance and promotion; government requires workers’ patience, ” he noted.
    Members of the affiliate unions of NLC participated in the rally.

    Some of the members carried placards with inscription affirming the support to the new NLC leadership.

    Some of the placards read: “ Nkah is our hero,’’ “No more exploitation of workers,’’ Thank God we are out of Egypt,’’ among others.

    NAN further recalls that Nwafor was removed after a State Council Meeting of the NLC.

    A communiqué issued after the meeting accused Nwafor of failure to account for all monthly stipend and subventions received on behalf of the congress from the state government and other sources on money.

  • No crisis in Ebonyi NLC – Acting Chairman

    Mr Leo Nkah, the Acting Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ebonyi Chapter, says there is no faction in the union in the state as the former Chairman, Ikechukwu Nwafor was legitimately removed from office.
    Nkah spoke on Tuesday in Abakaliki, while commenting on the alleged mediation visit by Mr Uchenna Obigwe, South East Zonal Chairman of the NLC.

    Nkah who spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said that Mr Virginus Nwobodo, Enugu State NLC Chairman, who represented Obigwe, never visited the present NLC leadership.

    “ If the visit was mediatory, why did the representative of Obigwe not visit the present NLC leadership in the state?
    “ Why did he not intimate the present leadership before the visit?
    “Since they were here for fact finding, why were they so fast in conclusion, instead of taking their findings to the regional body.

    “The visit of NLC South East region is questionable.’’

    Nkah said that from the actions, “it is doubtful if the visit was authorised.’’
    He said that there was no truth in Nwafor’s claim that the union was fictionalised.
    “There is no faction in the union as Nwafor was removed by more than two- third of state executive council-in- session.’’
    Nkah, who is also President, Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE ), Ebony Chapter, said that Nwafor failed to exonerate himself of allegation of gross abuse of power, levelled against by the state council.
    He also alleged that the former chairman played double-standard on issues concerning the contributory pension scheme introduced by the Ebonyi Government.
    Nkah appealed to Ebonyi workers to be patient as a 14-man committee has been set up to address all issues concerning the new pension scheme and other workers’ welfare.
    NAN recalled that Nwafor was suspended indefinitely on March 15 “for alleged gross misconduct and financial misappropriation.’’

    The former chairman, however, denied the allegations

     

  • Ebonyi NLC hopeful of peaceful resolution of contributory pension issues

    Mr Leo Nkah, the Acting Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Ebonyi Chapter, says Gov. Dave Umahi has promised to ensure smooth resolution of issues concerning the newly introduced Contributory Pension Scheme.

    Nkah, who spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja, said that the governor gave the assurance when the new NLC leadership paid him a courtesy visit.
    NAN recalls that deductions were made from workers’ salaries following the passage of the Law on Contributory Pension by the Ebonyi House of Assembly.

    He said that the governor was intimated about the leadership change in NLC, in which Nkah, the President, Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) Ebonyi Chapter, was elected acting chairman.

    NAN recalls that Nkah emerged Acting NLC Chairman, following the indefinite suspension of the incumbent Chairman, Ikechukwu Nwafor, over alleged financial misappropriation and gross misconduct.

    He said that the governor was told that the change followed due process, as it was carried out in line with NLC constitution.

    Nkah said that the union emphasised the need for greater co-operation between the government and labour in order to boost the welfare of workers and promote good governance.
    He said that the governor gave an assurance that issues concerning the new pension scheme already passed into law by the Ebonyi House of Assembly would be resolved.

    “The governor pledged that a 14-man panel of labour/government will be set up to review all issues that concern the pension law recently passed by Ebonyi State House of Assembly.”

    Nkah expressed optimism that the governor would fulfil the promise, noting that till date, “it is on record that Ebonyi is among the states not owing workers’ monthly salaries.

    “Workers in Ebonyi public and civil service are paid within the month.

    “He gave the instruction that workers must be paid within the month and he ensures the directive is carried out.

    “The promise to resolve all issues surrounding the new pension scheme will not be an exception.”

    Nkah also solicited the support and co-operation of the state workforce to the state NLC.