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Tag: Minister of Labour and Employment

  • FG to convert Industrial Arbitration Panel to a commission

    FG to convert Industrial Arbitration Panel to a commission

    Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige said Thursday that the federal government plan to convert the Industrial Arbitration Panel to an Industrial Arbitration Commission to give it more power and ensure quick dispensation of industrial dispute in the country.

    The Minister who spoke while receiving the management team of the Industrial Arbitration Panel in his office said the Labour bill which will be represented to the 8th National Assembly will take care of converting the panel into a commission.

    He said the Ministry has concluded work in the bill which will soon be sent to the office of the Attorney General of the Federation for fine-tuning before it is sent to the National Assembly for promulgation.

    Senator Ngige assured that the Ministry will do everything possible to ensure that the Industrial Arbitration Commission takes off as it will help address most of the challenges currently being faced by the panel in the discharge of their responsibilities.

    He said: “there is Jos doubt that you work under very strenuous conditions which are not too wonderful. On our own part, we have to equip you and that is why we have decided to identify with you in the issue of transforming your place into a commission.

    “The Labour bill we had in the National Assembly expired with the seventh National Assembly. But we are representing it for your place to evolve into a commission. If it evolve into a commission, the benefits are monumental.

    “Like you said, it will cut down cost of people going for litigations in the courts and make for speedy adjudication and dispensation of industrial relations cases justly and equitably and justice will be brought quickly to the door step of the workers and their employers. So, we are going to assist in making that commission a reality.

    “As for IAP rules, you are handling the one that gave you four paragraphs. We have seen the new one and have worked on a new set of rules and we want to make the final baking by sending it to the Attorney General of the Federation to have a look and then send it back to the National Assembly so that it can be promulgated into the rules that will guide you. Rules that will make for better handling of cases that come to you.”

    Speaking earlier, Chairman of the panel, Barrister Dunama Azura told the Minister that the panel has been operating without guidelines and rules guiding dispute resolutions, and appeal to him to prevail on the government to convert the panel to a commission as is the practice globally.

    He said the only document guiding the operation of the panel was a four paragraphed rule which has hampered their performance, adding that inspite of the challenges; none of its decisions has been upturned by the National Industrial Court.

    He said converting the Panel into a Commission will save a lot of resources for the government, while appealing to the Government to consider members of the panel as special specie of people in view of the risk involved in their work.

     

  • Workers’ Day disruption: Minister puts blame on NLC faction

    Workers’ Day disruption: Minister puts blame on NLC faction

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, on Monday, blamed the disruption and protest by workers at the May Day celebration in Abuja on the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) faction.

    Ngige told newsmen on the sideline of the celebration that what happened was as result of infiltration by non-workers into the celebration venue and not necessarily workers anger about minimum wage.

    The event was disrupted for close to one hour by workers who barred government officials from delivering the speech from the federal government.

    He said that the workers had no reason to be angry with the present administration because it had been very friendly with them.

    The Federal Government has been friendly to workers to the extent that it even went ahead and initiated the bailout fund. No government has done that before and that was because we did not want to lay off any worker.

    “So what happened today is that some people who are not really workers infiltrated this arena and they started causing some problems.

    “Be that as it may, we are going to address the issue of minimum wage, we are also going to address the issue of backlog of promotion areas and allowances of all sorts.

    “We captured them in the 2016 budget but for some reasons, the releases are not forthcoming but the president of the senate has assured us now.

    “So we are going to capture them in the 2017 budget appropriation and once it’s captured in the appropriation, the minister of finance will handle the rest,”

    Ngige insisted that the venue was infiltrated by non-workers due to some fractionalization within the labour federation, adding that the conclusion was reached based on an intelligent report.

    He said the issue of a minimum wage was being delayed because the government employed what it called a tripartite negotiation also known as social dialogue so as to capture all sectors.

    He said this was because the issue did not concern the government or public sector alone but also the private sector so it needed time to carry everybody along.

    “We have finished the framework for the composition of the committee of the minimum wage and we have passed it round to government to source the requisite and qualified persons that will man this committee.

    We are going to address the issue of a minimum wage; we are also going to address the issue of backlog of promotion arrears and allowances so workers should be patient and give us some time.

    “Within the next quarter, the minimum wage committee will start functioning and in the next three months also, a backlog of all arrears and other allowances that are due to them will be paid,’’ he said.

    However, the President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Ayuba Wabba, and his counterpart, Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mr Bobboi Kagama, said that Nigerian workers had expressed anger and disappointment on the non-implementation of the minimum wage thereby disrupting the 2017 May Day celebration.

    According to them, workers have today expressed their sadness, challenges, as many of them have not earned their salaries, so it is a demonstration of anger on the situation in the country.

    “The challenges workers are passing through are enormous, workers have expected that either the President or the Vice-president would have been present to respond to workers yearning and anticipation.

    Workers attitude today have shown that it is an accumulation of anger and that the economic situation is biting very hard on them as many of them cannot pay their bills.

    Also, some workers who spoke with NAN believed that there was no infiltration of the venue by non-workers as claimed by the minister but what played out was an accumulation of grievances against the government.

    Mrs Asaba Lydia a unionist of the Nigeria Civil Service Union said the workers were taken for granted by the government thus the reason for sending representatives rather than coming themselves.

    Lydia said the issue began with the minister’s act by sending the permanent secretary to represent him while he represents the president, adding that it was not fair to the workers.

    “A day such as this, the government could not even honour workers by attending the event themselves, if the president is not available what about the Vice President?

    “We have tried to follow the norm as workers and it has not worked so now we are saying we are tired of failed promises, enough is enough ‘’

    Mr Dassey Heblom, a civil servant, said they workers refused to listen to the speeches of the government officials because every year it had always been stories without action or implementation.

    Heblom said workers were now aware of what was going on and thus would not stop asking for their rights for policy statements to be made and implemented.

    “We are tired of talks, we want action, that is all we are saying, imagine we are even celebrating this day without salaries not to talk of the accumulation of unpaid allowances,” he said.

  • May Day: Buhari committed to workers’ welfare – Ngige

    May Day: Buhari committed to workers’ welfare – Ngige

    Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige has saluted the resilience of the Nigerian workers and hope for a better future in the face of the current economic challenges facing the country, assuring them of the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari to enhancing their welfare.

    The Minister said the President was doing everything humanly possible to improve the welfare of the Nigerian worker and has put in place several programmes to actualise that.

    In a message to the Nigerian workers as part of the 2017 May Day celebration signed by the Deputy Director, Press in the Ministry, Samuel Olowookere, the Minister fraternized with Nigerian workers as they celebrate the Workers’ Day, a day that has its origin in the historical struggles of workers and trade unions in their efforts to win fair employment standards and more importantly, to establish a culture of human and workers’ rights.

    According to him, “The Federal Government is not unaware of the economic challenges facing Nigerian workers in the public, the private and informal sector of the economy. We appreciate your resilience and hope for better days ahead.”

    While acknowledging the contributions of the Nigerian workers to national development, the Minister emphasised the commitment of the present administration to the enhancement of workers welfare.

    “May I use this occasion to appreciate Nigerian workers for their contributions to national development, unequivocal solidarity to the Change Agenda and the fight against corruption of the present administration under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari.”

    “Mr. President is committed to the enhancement of workers’ welfare, through programmes like the Federal Integrated Staff Housing Scheme (FISH), creation of enabling environment to stimulate the economy with the aim of improving the social-economic wellbeing of Nigeria in all sectors of the economy.”

    While soliciting continued support of the Nigerian workers to the Change Agenda, especially in the fight against corruption, Ngige said “As we celebrate today, I urge Nigerian workers not to relent in their support to the Change Agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari.”

  • Buhari committed to growing Nigerian economy – Ngige

    Buhari committed to growing Nigerian economy – Ngige

    Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige has said that President Muhammadu Buhari was irrevocably committed to growing the Nigerian economy through strategic initiatives that engage the nation’s huge population as a fulcrum.

    Speaking at the on-going 2nd Ordinary Session of the Specialized Technical Committee on Social Development, Labour and Employment in Algiers, Algeria, Ngige said the recently released Medium Term Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) is a paradigm shift in this direction.

    He said the Buhari administration has demonstrated its capacity to exploit our huge population for wealth creation and economic growth, which explains the capacity shown so far for an early exit from the current economic recession.

    He said: “Our shift is the engagement of our large population in well-articulated diversification programme which has shifted attention to agriculture and mining, in a process intended to be driven by diverse skills acquisition and subsequent job creation”.

    Presenting Nigeria’s position entitled “Investment in Employment and Social security For Harnessing Demographic Dividend” Ngige said Nigeria was resolute in exploiting the untapped potentials of huge   population to grow the economy through dynamic micro-economic policies.

    According to him, “The focus of the present administration in Nigeria is to invest in our huge population through massive job creation, youth empowerment, social inclusion and strengthening of our educational and health system so as to achieve macro-economic stability and diversification.

    “This is a pathway to building a global competitive economy that can stimulate private sector investments, infrastructural renewal, a major pathway to spend out of recession and improved business environment”.

    He disclosed that concerted efforts were being made to increase access to decent work for Nigerians through the implementation of National Policy on Employment whose document was reviewed in 2016 while creating job and skills acquisition centres which targets the 774 Local Government Areas as operational base.

    The Minister said 15 obsolete and retrogressive labour laws some of which date back to the colonial era have been sent to the National Assembly for review.

    The Minister enumerated other government efforts towards exploiting Nigeria’s huge population for jobs and skills development to include a nation-wide stop-gap jobs for unskilled persons through interventionist schemes in agriculture and mining, skills development and competency upgrade, reduction of miss-match between graduate skills and demands in modern labour market as well as the N-power programme, noting that women constitute a large percent  of the beneficiaries of these different programmes.

    On Social security, the Minister said that beyond a National Policy on Social Protection and Social Security which was conceived to drive universal human rights, inclusiveness and wealth re-distribution, the National Social Insurance Trust Fund, the National Health Insurance Scheme, Pension Commission and National Social Investment Programmes were core government agencies effectively providing social protection for vulnerable persons within their respective purviews.

     

     

  • Ngige wants synergy among FG agencies on vocational training

    Ngige wants synergy among FG agencies on vocational training

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige has called for synergy among Federal Government agencies in charge of skill acquisition and vocational training to ensure the full realization of the government objective on job creation.

    Senator Ngige said vocational training was the key to unlocking the potentials of Nigerian youths and stemming the tide of unemployment in the country.

    The Minister spoke at the graduation ceremony of Ganduje Auto-Mechanic Training and Empowerment Scheme as well as the training of Kano Zonal Staff and Management of parastatals under the Ministry of Labour and Employment and the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) in Kano.

    He said; “Training of youths in vocational trade is in line with President Muhammadu Buhari led administration’s cardinal objective on youth entrepreneurship and job creation. We have relentlessly been pursuing this in order to fully tap into the elastic opportunities provided by investments in blue collar jobs.

    He challenged Nigerian youths to key into the various vocational training programmes of the Federal Government such as the N-Power initiative as well as other artisan and craftsmen training of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment offered by the Specialized Skills Upgrading and Vocational Training Centres.

    According to him, the “Federal Government N-Power Build is an initiative under the N-power job creation scheme planned to develop workforce for a wide range of artisanal jobs in the Construction and housing industry.

    “This would impact on other economic sectors by building the capacity of a critical mass of young Nigerians interested in the construction and housing industry leading to efficient service delivery and increase the number of available job opportunities, reduce unemployment, improve incomes level, poverty reduction and economic vulnerability of unemployed Nigerians.”

    Inspecting an under-utilized facilities at the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) in Kano, Sen. Ngige described the situation as antithetical to the change Agenda of the present administration and urged the Kano State Coordinator of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) Iliyasu Ahmed to urgently exploit the training capacity at the centre for the benefits of the teaming Kano youths

    “The essence of inter-agency collaboration especially when they are offering the same service is utmost in achieving the purpose for which government created such agencies.  

    “The NDE office in Kano is poorly equipped, though we are planning to do something urgent about this, but here we are amidst expansive facilities at the ITF. A situation where the NDE in the same city cannot take a full advantage of this is not excusable.

    “All the skills acquisition centres across the Federation owned by the states and Federal government must work in mutual collaboration so as to be on the same page in terms of quality of skills, certificates awarded, as well as enable them share in the benefits of inter-agency cooperation. I therefore, expect that in the next few months, I would have gotten a full report on the number of trainees the NDE has brought for different training programmes here.” 

    At the zonal office of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) Kano, the Minister frowned at the contributions from the zone comprising Kano, Jigawa, Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi states, saying it was grossly below its potential.

     He urged the management and staff to be alive to their responsibilities. 

    Placed fourth out of the six zones in the country and with a contribution of about 160 million in 2016, the Minister expressed dissatisfaction over the development, insisting the zone could do much better.

    The Minister charged the agency to reach out to the public, enroll more agencies and companies so as to enable workers benefit from the provisions of the Compensation Act while pledging the commitment of the Federal Government to the welfare of Nigerian workers.  

  • Minimum Wage: FG refutes NLC accusation on constitution of committee

    Minimum Wage: FG refutes NLC accusation on constitution of committee

    The Federal Government on Friday refuted the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) accusation of foot-dragging to constitute a tripartite committee which is expected to deliberate on the proposed N56,000 minimum wage for workers in the country.

    Sen Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment said this in a statement signed by Mr Samuel Olowookere, Deputy Director of Press in the ministry.

    Ngige said his attention had been drawn to publications in some section of the media, alleging the Federal Government of intentionally stalling the process of constituting a tripartite committee for the minimum wage.

    “The above statement is false and misleading as the Federal Government has demonstrated its commitment to improving the welfare of the Nigerian workforce by holding series of meetings with stakeholders on the subject matter.

    “The final meeting of the technical committee on new minimum wage was slated for 23rd February 2017 but could not hold as scheduled.

    “The Nigerian Labour Congress and its Trade Union Congress counterpart requested for a postponement of the meeting.

    “This was in order to attend the delegate conference of National Union of Civil Engineering Construction/ Furniture and Wood Workers (NUCECFWW), at Asaba Delta State, ‘’he said.

    He said that in a demonstration of the Federal Government’s commitment, a new date for the meeting of the technical committee on minimum wage has been scheduled for March 14 by 2:00 pm at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).

    The minister said that the new date had been communicated to both the government and worker’s representatives of the technical committee.

    Ngige, therefore, said the allegation as ascribed to the NLC President, Mr Ayuba Wabba, was `”mischievous and unfounded”.

    “The NLC President is fully aware of the rescheduled meeting and the reason for the postponement of the earlier meeting which was at the instance of labour unions,” he added

  • NLC to Ngige:We are taken aback by your outburst

    NLC to Ngige:We are taken aback by your outburst

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has decried the statement by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige over the outlaw of the warning strike and to invoke the clause no work no pay.

    In a statement signed by the General Secretary, NLC, Comrade Dr Peter Ozo-Eson, the NLC said it was taken aback by the minister’s comments, saying that warning strike is use as a bargaining device to bring to the negotiable table.

    “Our attention has been drawn to the threat by the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige to outlaw warning strike and to  invoke the clause of “no work no pay” in the  event of the use of  warning strike in the future as according to him, warning strike is not known to Labour Laws.

    “We are taken aback by the claims of the Honourable Minister. “Accordingly, we find it necessary to state that whether warning strike is in the corpus of the  Nigerian Labour Laws or not,  unions over the years across all climes use warning strike as a bargaining device to bring to the negotiating table, recalcitrant employers or social partners,” the union stated.

    The union said the efficacy of warning strike cannot be in doubt as it is reason why the government, led by the Honourable Minister himself is now negotiating with ASUP executives.

    Ozo-Eson said in the annals of labour history, warning strikes have had the distinguishing feature of saving the parties to disputes the rigours, costs and pains of full-blown strikes.

    The statement said: “Why then would the Honorable Minister be canvassing a position that is at once extreme and intolerant of further dialogue which is the mainstay of Labour-Government relations!

    “We find it necessary to caution that a hasty resort to legalese as a basis for conflict resolution will not be helpful.

    “However, the truth of the matter is that if strikes are guaranteed by the law, we do not see how warning strikes can be illegal. We do not intend to resort to unnecessary pedantism, but quite often, a literal interpretation of the law falls short of the intendment of the law”.

    He said the warning strikes will continue to be part of their engagement with all employers including government, when necessary.

     

  • FG won’t succumb to threats, Ngige tells labour unions

    FG won’t succumb to threats, Ngige tells labour unions

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige on Wednesday declared that the Federal Government will not succumb to threats from labour unions in the country.

    The labour unions, he said, cannot achieve anything through threats except dialogue.

    He spoke with State House correspondents after FEC meeting.

    He said “Government is on the issue of industrial relations as possible as we can, especially with an economy that is in technical recession like ours.

    “We have cooperation from most of the unions: the NLC and the TUC. We have maximum cooperation from them.

    “On the minimum wage issue, we have a technical committee that is working and members of the two congresses are members of that committee. We are almost finishing our work and we are handing over next week.

    “Everybody knows that prices have gone up and in some states, workers are not getting salaries. They are unable to pay the minimum wage. These are the things we have taken into account in our discussion.

    “We also have warnings from doctors’ union and ASUU as well as NASU. We are discussing with them but we want to appeal to all of them that there is nothing like warning strike.

    “There is nothing you cannot get by negotiation and you cannot get certain things by threats. Warning strikes as far as government is concerned are threats. I have made it clear to them.” he said

    Government and labour laws, he said, make provision for social dialogue and collective bargaining agreements.

    “It also makes provision for the review of the agreements. Nigerian unions should imbibe the culture of social dialogue. They can go on strike after giving the mandatory notices but the same law says in Section 43 that if you withdraw your services, your union is supposed to pay you. Your employer will not pay. That is how the issue of no work, no pay came up.

    “It is in the country’s labour. For the period you withdraw your services, it will not count for you in your pensionable times. It is taken as broken service. The unions have the responsibility to lecture their members on this.

    “If your employer has not complied with an agreement, you take him back to negotiation table or he can ask you for a re-negotiation.

    “Everything is about money and funding. Most of those agreements are not backed by appropriation. Government at times because of threats and pressures from the unions succumb to certain conditions that are not implementable.

    “We have a lot of them and that is why the university unions will now have to go back for renegotiation for the 2009 agreement they had with the Federal Government.

    “We want them to give government a chance. Government has a human face; we are human,” he stated

     

  • ASUP: Minister denies warning strike in labour law

    ASUP: Minister denies warning strike in labour law

    Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige on Tuesday reminded labour unions in the country that there was nothing like warning strike in the nation’s labour laws, warning however that the government may be forced to apply the no work no pay rule.
    The Minister appealed to striking Polytechnic lecturers under the auspices of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) to call of their five-day warning strike in the interest of the nation and the students.
    The polytechnic lecturers had, on Monday began a five-day warning strike over government refusal to address issues affecting the polytechnic sector after two ultimata to the government in July 2016 and November 2016 were not addressed by government.
    In a statement he personally signed and made available to newsmen in Abuja, the Minister informed members of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP) that there was nothing like warning strike in the nation’s labour laws.
    He said: “I wish to assure you that the Federal Government is ready and willing to fully dialogue with the members of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), and Government will open an unhindered channel of communication with all Stakeholders and shall maintain this.”
    He said that the Federal Ministry of Education has been discussing the issues with ASUP on the concerns raised, pointing out that “it is important for Trade Unions to embrace social dialogue in the pursuit and attainment of the economic and social interests of their members anchored on equity, natural justice and agreed procedures
    “I wish to remind the Trade Unions that there is nothing like a “Warning Strike” in our National Industrial Relations System (NIRS) – a strike is a strike and is subject to all the rules governing strike in the world of work.’
    “Accordingly, the provisions of Section 43 of the Trade Disputes Act, CAP. T8, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN), 2004, will apply regarding the law of “No Work No Pay’’ by workers/employees notwithstanding any other circumstances in any section of the Act.”
    “Once more, I wish to appeal to the trade unions to embrace dialogue as the Federal Government is fully committed to peaceful resolution of all the issues at stake”.

  • Buhari committed to safe and healthy work place – Ngige

    Buhari committed to safe and healthy work place – Ngige

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige has affirmed the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari led administration to providing safe and healthy working environment that will stimulate decent working conditions for Nigerian workforce.

    Represented by the Director of Occupational Safety and Health, Dr. Ifeoma Anyanwutaku at the validation of the draft National Occupational Safety and Health Profile, the minister said the government was aware of the fact that a safe and healthy worker is an asset to his or her employer and the nation.

    He said the Federal Government will continue to take necessary steps to add value and strengthens policies and programmes aimed at providing safe and healthy working environment and stimulate fair working conditions for all workers.

    The Minister emphasized that a well-defined and popular profile document for the promotion of social dialogue in occupational safety and health is essential for effective consultations and collaboration for a robust safety and health culture.

    According to him, the validation of the Draft National Occupational Safety and Health Profile will be a catalyst to the nation’s drive to adopt international best practices in the promotion of preventive occupational safety and health culture.

    Country Director of International Labour Organisation, Demmis Zulu said that the ILO was committed to the development and preventive of OSH strategies which aimed to protect and promote workers’ health and wellbeing.

    Zulu said: “It goes without saying that the whole issue of National Health and Safety is paramount and needs to be given the seriousness, importance and priority it deserves.

    “For instance, there are quite a number of incidents and accidents in different sectors of Nigeria’s economy, particularly, in both the manufacturing and the construction sector. Workers who are affected by these incidents and accidents, due to lack of adherence to the minimum standards of occupational health and safety, are those between the ages of 18 and 30”.

    He added that the document would ensure that the manufacturing and construction sectors, among others, improve their working condition and environments.