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Tag: Ngige

  • NLC to Ngige: we won’t stop warning strike

    NLC to Ngige: we won’t stop warning strike

    THE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has insisted that workers will keep using warning strikes as part of their engagement with employers, including the Federal Government.

    Its stance is contrary to a statement credited to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, that warning strikes were not known to the labour law.

    A statement by NLC General Secretary Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson in Abuja said although warning strikes were not part of labour laws, unions over the years and across climes use warning strike as a bargaining device to bring recalcitrant employers or social partners to the negotiating table.

    The congress said warning strikes by workers had acquired the force of law, adding that their efficacy could not be in doubt.

    NLC added that it was the reason the government, led by the minister, decided to negotiate with the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) leaders.

    It emphasised that warning strikes have had the distinguishing feature of saving parties to disputes the rigours, costs and pains of full-blown strikes, wondering why the “minister is now canvassing an extreme and intolerant position that is not in line with the spirit of dialogue”.

  • No warning strike in labour law, says Ngige

    No warning strike in labour law, says Ngige

    Minister of Labour and Employment Chris Ngige has said the country’s labour law does not recognise warning strike.
    He appealed to the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) to suspend its warning strike.
    The minister, in a statement, 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.
    “ 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.”

  • FG committed to review of minimum wage, says Ngige

    FG committed to review of minimum wage, says Ngige

    Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, has said that the Federal Government was committed to putting in place measures to ensure that all employers of labour in the country comply with the new minimum wage for workers when it is eventually put in place.

    The minister also said that the government has put on hold the proposed agreement between the Ministry of Labour and Employment and Qatar in view of the wide report of unfair and slave labour practice in the country.

    Speaking when the Secretary General of the International Trade Union Congress (ITUC), Sharon Baron, visited him in his office, the minister said, “Minimum wage is good; we are already working on it. We have a technical working committee in place and the current administration is poised to ensure that employers at all levels comply with this law by ensuring that everybody is carried along through the composition of an all inclusive committee.”

    The minister expressed the support of the Federal Government of Nigeria to the efforts of the International Labour Organisation at combating slave labour in Qatar.

    Speaking earlier, the Secretary General of the International Trade Union Congress (ITUC), Sharon Baron, applauded the stance of the Federal Government of Nigeria in the promotion of decent work, requesting the support of Nigeria in the fight against slave labour in Qatar.

    She said “Nigeria has always been a strong government in defence of decent work and we need your support in this fight against slave labour as the government of Qatar runs a system where the workers’ rights are determined by the employers and not by the government, even in the issues of minimum wage. We need your help to protect Nigerians in Qatar,” she said.

  • Ngige to Ohanaeze: align Ndigbo with changing realities

    Ngige to Ohanaeze: align Ndigbo with changing realities

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, has advised the new leadership of pan-Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, to reposition the Igbo nation to align the interests of Ndigbo with the changing realities of the nation.

    In his letter of congratulation to Ohanaeze’s new President General, John Nnia Nwodo, the minister said quality leadership was needed for the body to transform the prospect and yearnings of the people for a bountiful harvest into reality.

    Ngige said: “On behalf of Umu-Ngige clan of Alor in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, I wish to congratulate you on your near unanimous election as the President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo.

    “It is safe to assert that your election is timely. The Igbo are republican, dynamic and very industrious. Our other name is hard work. The Igbo are also resilient.

    “Our leaders across the ages have combined these unique and eternal values with which the Almighty endowed the Igbo nation to give the people a characteristic foresight that stand us firmly, despite all odds.

    “However, it is for you and I to judge whether we have measured up to the standard of our forbearers in today’s Nigeria and its contemporary politics.

    “It is, therefore, my fervent hope that as the leader of the apex Igbo socio-cultural body, you will usher in an age of self-rediscovery.

    “It is my sincere expectation also that you will deploy your wealth of experience to reposition Ohaneze to strategically align with the interests of Ndigbo with the changing realities of our dear nation and, through that, transform our people’s prospects and yearnings for a bountiful harvest into a reality.

    “Knowing your antecedents and pedigree as I do, I have no doubt in my mind that you will excel and history will record you in the Igbo hall of fame. I wish you a very successful tenure.”

  • Ngige urges workers to brace for performance

    Ngige urges workers to brace for performance

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, has warned that the Federal Government will not tolerate incompetence from the parastatals and agencies of government as it moves to push the nation out of recession in the year. He said the changing times demanded dynamic leadership.

    The minister said this during a working visit to the headquarters of three parastatals in the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

    Addressing the management and members of staff of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Ngige insisted that  in this recession, the NDE, which has a mandate for job creation, ought to distinguish itself in moving the country forward  through massive job creation in agriculture and mining.

    He said: “We must battle recession from all fronts. We must take Nigeria out of recession in 2017 and the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) shall lead the way. This agency must lead domestic production in agriculture and mining.

    “Nigeria must stop the importation of rice and other items we can produce here. Therefore, the NDE must redesign its programmes for the 2017 to align with massive job creation in agriculture, to sufficiently feed the nation and create jobs en mass.”

    At the headquarters of the Nigeria Social Industrial Trust Fund (NSITF), the minister urged its management to expand the Fund’s activities to the private sector to enable it benefit from the scheme, noting that it is a scheme aimed at providing insurance cover and compensation for injuries and accidents at work places.

    He regretted that some challenges had hampered NSITF’s mandate.

    “The bitter truth is that NSITF has not lived up to expectations. It is high time we changed our old ways so that the fund can fulfill its mandate. We must show more seriousness and face the work more squarely,” he said.

    During the visit to the National Productivity Centre (NPC), Ngige observed that one of the major problems facing the nation is its inability to measure her productivity, adding that no nation has ever made progress without proper attention to productivity measurement.

    The Minister added: “The administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has productivity as a priority, but a lot of Nigerians do not know and appreciate what you are doing; there is a need, therefore, for a lot of sensitisation.’’

  • Ngige leads lawyers, others to protest in Anambra

    Ngige leads lawyers, others to protest in Anambra

    THE community of Alor in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, was shut yesterday by protesters numbering over 3,000 to protest against the government’s imposition of caretaker committee in the area.

    The protest was led by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Chief Emeka Ngige along side many other lawyers, medical doctors, vice chancellors of universities, engineers, pharmacists, journalists among others.

    Movement of vehicles was restricted as a result of the crowd which included clergy men, women and traders. The community members carried placards with different inscriptions like “Anambra Government leave Alor alone; we say no to imposition of caretaker; Enough is enough among others.

    The Nation gathered that the community’s late monarch, Igwe James Nkworka had inaugurated a committee for Alor progressive Union (APU) election before he died. Addressing reporters yesterday, the spokesman of the community, Chief Emeka Ngige (SAN) said they would no longer stomarch the ills that go on in the area, declaring that “Enough is enough.”

  • Ngige worried by non-release of parastatal’s capital vote

    Ngige worried by non-release of parastatal’s capital vote

    •‘NDE must drive Fed Govt’s job creation efforts’

    Minister of Labour and Employment Senator Chris Ngige has expressed shock that only 3.49 per cent of this year’s capital vote of the National Productivity Centre (NPC) has so far been released by the Ministry of Finance and the Budget Office.
    Ngige, who was on a working visit to parastatals under his ministry, also urged the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) to develop programmes that would drive government efforts at creating mass employment for Nigerians.
    He pledged to take up the issue of non-release of capital vote to the agency with the Minister of Budget and National Planning and the Minister of Finance, noting that there was no way the centre could achieve its mandate without funds.
    He said the activities of the agency were mainly capital based, stressing that one of the “major problem with Nigeria is the lack of productivity measurement”.
    National Productivity Centre Director-General Kasim Akor said the inability of the centre to adequately build its human resources capacity through training and retraining was one of the biggest challenges facing it.
    At NDE, Ngige said he was not satisfied with its performance.
    He noted that at a time when the government was working towards creation of mass employment, he was looking forward to the NDE to help drive the process.
    The minister told the NDE management to develop new scheme that would drive people into agriculture and mining, which, the minister said, have the capacity for massive job creation.
    Ngige said the NDE has the capacity to make things better.
    He said the NDE could help drive the process of massive cultivation of rice and help government to battle unemployment and get Nigeria out of recession.
    Acting NDE Director-General Kunle Obanya told the minister that the agency received about N1.7 billion less than what it received in 2015.
    The D-G said the non-release of funds constituted an impediment to the success of NDE programmes.
    He added that over 23,512 persons have so far been trained in various skills.

  • Ngige: Count me out of 2017 governorship race

    Ngige: Count me out of 2017 governorship race

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, has said the people of Anambra State should count him out of the 2017 governorship election.
    He said his job as a minister was challenging enough to get the better part of his attention.
    The former Anambra State governor addressed reporters yesterday in Awka, the state capital, where he criticised Governor Willie Obiano for not doing enough for the state.
    But he gave the names of some aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who he said had indicated interest in the governorship race.
    They include the current APC National Auditor, Chief George Muoghalu; Dr Obinna Uzor, Tony Nwoye, Dr Chike Obidigbo and Sir Barth Nwibe.
    Ngige said: “Yes, the Anambra election is coming up and APC will run in that election fully and effectively with all the resources within our means.
    “I want to tell you that in 2017, Anambra will be an APC state. Our party won the governorship election in this state in 2010, but we were denied that opportunity. They gave it to Peter Obi (of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) because we were the opposition.
    “The people know who have worked for them. APC is operating quietly. We are getting new members. Right now, there are four factions in the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). Which faction will Obiano join?
    “As we speak, there are many people who have indicated interest to join (APC), not only in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but majority from APGA. We are fusing them to make a good choice for the election.
    “Today, we have graduated with a PhD. No matter who we put, APC will run over APGA.”
    The one-time senator, who represented Anambra Central, criticised the three flyovers recently built by the Obiano administration.
    The minister said they were done without specifications, adding that an APC government would modify them.
    Ngige said: “What the APGA government has done is to adulterate the good scenery we have at Quota Junction, Amawbia Roundabout and Aroma. There is no other thing we have seen in APGA government than noise-making.”
    On whether or not he would vie for the governorship election next year, the minister said he already had a job that was challenging.
    He said: “I have a job I’m doing for the Federal Government. I’m in charge of Labour and Employment (Ministry). I have too much on my hands to start talking about governorship in Anambra State.
    “Right now, I have a powerful ministry that is challenging. My brain is working. The governorship does not concern me. But you will see me when APC picks its candidate for the 2017 election.”
    He said the current recession in the country would likely end within nine months, considering Federal Government’s programmes to reduce its effects.

  • Buhari not excluding Igbo, Ngige tells kinsmen

    Buhari not excluding Igbo, Ngige tells kinsmen

    Minister of Labour Dr Chris Ngige at the weekend faulted Ohanaeze Ndigbo’s claim that President Muhammadu Buhari was excluding Ndigbo from his administration.

    Ngige disagreed with those asking the President to change his Economic Team because of their alleged inability to steer the country out of recession.

    The minister said those behind the calls for a change of the economic team were job seekers, who were not favoured in past ministerial appointments.

    Ngige addressed reporters at this year’s annual convention and graduation ceremony of skill acquisition students of Bina Foundation, funded by Sir Chris Atuegwu, and his wife, Lady Ifeoma Atuegwu.

    The minister noted that contrary to the statement purportedly made by Ohanaeze that the Ndigbo were being excluded, President Buhari’s antecedents showed he loved Ndigbo.

    He warned Ndigbo to stop what he called politics of alienation and embrace fellow Nigerians from any part of the country.

    Ngige said: “I am sure the statement did not emanate from Ohanaeze. It is the personal opinion of the Secretary General, Dr Joe Nwaorgu, my friend. Ohanaeze has a means of expressing its views in a statement by the president general. But such a statement must emanate from Imeobi (inner caucus).

    “When you go to President Buhari’s antecedents, you see his love for the Igbo. His brigade commander was an Igbo man. After the war, he did not kill prisoners of war (POWs). He brought back his classmates, J. C. Ojukwu, and the other man from Ojoto in Anambra State. He is a good man. He keeps to himself. He is disciplined in office.

    “He doesn’t drink; he doesn’t smoke. He is a man who does any work efficiently. He has Igbo friends. It is wrong to say that Igbo did not vote for him in 2015. There was no voting across Igbo land. It was vote allocation.

    “I don’t want to join issues with him (Nwaorgu). I have held various positions in Ohanaeze before him. I championed Aka Ikenga. His ‘Igboness’ is not stronger than mine. It is still early. We should stop crying over spilt milk.

    “We got 20 pounds after the war. We should leverage on our prosperity, industrial spirit, ingenuity and propensity for work to forge ahead. We need the political fitness and diplomacy; we will not be left behind.

    “Former Vice-President Alex Ekwueme has done a lot in successive constitutional conferences on zoning structure and regional cooperation. I have always espoused that at Aka Ikenga. We do it and the rest shall be added unto us.”

    The former Anambra State governor said there was an understanding that the Presidency would go round so that Ndigbo could get their turn by embracing other parts of the country with open arms.

    The minister noted that this will work if the Ndigbo avoided what he called politics of alienation.

    Ngige described those calling for a new national economic team because of the recession as job seekers, whose friends in the media echoed same for them to be heard.

    The minister argued that Nigeria entered recession long before the Buhari administration.

    He said nobody noticed cracks in the wall because of the huge foreign reserves accumulated by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

    According to him, the reserves shrunk to $21 billion, following the crash in oil prices.

    Ngige said: “Under the previous administration, the oil price was about $115 per barrel and the country exhausted its 2.2 million barrels daily quota of crude oil export. But when this government came, the price of oil dropped to  $30 per barrel. It later came to $50 per barrel. But because of activities of those blowing up oil pipelines in Niger Delta, we could not export our daily quota of 2.2 million barrels. We are now exporting about 1.2 million barrels.

    “Nigeria is a mono-cultural economy. Oil provides about 95 per cent of our revenue. So, you can see that under this administration, our revenue reduced drastically because of the slump in oil prices and activities of those blowing up pipeline. Now, you find a situation where supply of money cannot meet demand. This is elementary economics. When supply cannot meet demand, there is disequilibrium. You can see the slide.

    “So, nobody should blame the Economic Team. If you bring new people, they will see the same circumstances.

    “On the other hand, if you look at members of the economic team, Udo Udoma, minister of Budget, is eminently qualified. Being a former special adviser to a minister of Petroleum, he knows about the crude oil business that basically provides our earnings. He was Senate committee chairman on Appropriation.

    “The Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, is a banker but she has a degree in Economics. What else are they looking for? Of course, the Vice-President heads the Economic Team. He is a lawyer, but he heads it by virtue of his office as Vice-President.

    “As Vice-President under President Goodluck Jonathan, Namadi Sambo headed the Economic Team. He is not an economist. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar headed an Economic Team; he is not an economist. It is those who lost out in ministerial appointments propelling this call to change the Economic Team and their friends in the media are echoing it.”

    The minister urged Nigerians to see the recession as an opportunity to curb the wastage arising from importation of food and other items that have local alternatives.

    Ngige said he had resorted to eating local rice.

    The minister wondered why Nigeria should squander billions of naira on importation of foreign rice from Indonesia, for instance.

    On Federal Government’s plan to borrow $30 billion, he said: “We are in a recession in Nigeria and unnatural happenings beget unnatural solutions.

    “China is embracing us economically. We need cheap loans. Investors from China are coming with projects, offering Nigeria projects that they can do with counterpart funding. We bring 20 per cent, they bring 80 per cent. Through this way, we will come out of recession.”

  • El-Rufai, Ngige lament growing cases of drug abuse among youths

    El-Rufai, Ngige lament growing cases of drug abuse among youths

    KADUNAStage governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige have raised an alarm over the growing rate of drug abuse among youths, who they say form over 65 percent of the nation’s workforce, saying such habit is gradually destroying the nation’s productive workforce.

    Speaking at a one-day workshop on substance abuse as a impediment to gainful employment, organised by the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), El-Rufai expressed concern over the growing rate of drug and substance abuse among the youths and women in the northern part of the country, relevant agencies in the country must work together to effectively tackle the scourge. While saying that over 65 percent of those who engage in substance abuse are youths who constitute the national workforce and the future of the nation, the governor described substance abuse as a time bomb for the country.

    He said: “the abuse of drugs and other harmful substances, especially in northern Nigeria is a sorry tale. So now is the time to begin to seek realistic solutions to mitigate the destructive outcomes of substance abuse in Nigeria. “The socio-economic consequences of this trend leave us with no option than to strive to understand the dynamics of the substance abuse phenomenon, the impact on employment and the overall implications for our development as a nation. “This has become necessary when you consider the fact that over 65 percent of those involved in this social malaise are the youth who truly constitute our national workforce and indeed the future of our nation.

    “This ugly picture is a time bomb. We must understand that the army of young people who are hooked on drugs comes from the most active part of the population for whom we must provide employment opportunities.” Also speaking, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, said it is a well known fact that quality youths provide the impetus to sustain the present and also serves as a guarantee to the future of the nation. He described substance abuse as the abnormal use of substances such as alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, heroin, Valium etc in quantities other than what is medically prescribed, adding that individuals who become dependent or addicted t such substances could suffer physical, psychiatric and social complications with resultant unbowed effects on themselves, families, their productivity and the nation.

    The Acting Director General of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Kunle Obanya, said the aim of the workshop is to sensitize the general public especially the youths on the dangers of substance abuse and its negative implications on the affected persons in particular, the society and the economy at large. According to him, substance abuse in all ramification is an evil wind that blows no society and economy and good. There is JFK country that attains or achieves economic growth when large proportions of her population are into substance abuse.