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Tag: Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)

  • Ngige: NLC protest attack on defenceless workers

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Monday led Nigerian workers to the streets of Abuja to protest what it described as “unwarranted attacked” on workers who were on a peaceful protest at the Asokoro residence of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige over the delayed in inaugurating the board of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) on Wednesday.

    Speaking at the rally, President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, asked President Muhammadu Buhari to conduct a psychiatric test before appointing anyone to serve as a cabinet member.

    Ogunyemi said the call to conduct such test became necessary due the ongoing fracas between workers and the minister in-charge of labour and Employment who ordinary should understand the working of labour.

    “ASUU as a union condemned this attack on workers by a man who should protect and defense them. To say the least, we lost confidence on such. We are also calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to conduct a psychiatric test on each of his cabinet members to ascertain their mental stability; this according to him would save the country an embarrassment as this”.

    President of the NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba who led  the protest  said they were not protesting against the NSITF board, but the attacked on workers by thugs suspected to have been hired by the Minister.

    Read Also: NLC wants judicial Commission to investigate NSITF

    The Central Working Committee of the NLC had ordered the one day national protest at end of its emergency meeting last Thursday, while insisting that the Minister was not worthy to continue in office as their Minister.

    Wabba said the attacked on workers was undemocratic especially on the part of a minister who ought to superintend over the labour sector as the chief arbiter of the federation, but regretted that it was the same minister who hired thugs against the defenseless workers.

    Wabba who is also president of International Trade Unions Confederation (ITUC) global said a directive has issued to all 162 members countries to picket Ngige anywhere around the world.

    “We are here today to register our displeasure with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige for hiring suspected thugs to attack us on Wednesday during a peaceful protest/picketing at his residence.

    “The minister attitude was against international best practices as well as the ILO conventions and even Nigeria Constitution that guaranteed the right of workers to protest and picking. Instead of Mr. Ngige to dialogue with us, he resorted to hiring thugs to attack us.

    “We are not here today because of the NSITF board has been inaugurated. But our concerned right now is the attack on our members. We are saying that Ngige is not fit for a public office and president Buhari should do the needful before such a man destroy his government”.

    Also Speaking at the rally which took place at the ministry of Labour while the NSITF board was being inaugurated at the Presidential villa, Pesident of Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) Comrade Marwan Mustapha Adamu called for an urgent investigation with a view of bringing to book the hired thugs who attacked and caused various degrees of injuries on workers.

    Comrade Marwan said the national protest/picketing was to show to Nigerians and the world that Labour will always stand for her right, adding that organised has resolved to embarrass the minister anytime he is seen both within and outside the country.

    The workers carried placards some of which reads Ngige must go, He is not qualify to be a doctor but a native doctor, Ngige is a face of violence cabal in Buhari Government, How long can a public officer go before he is sack, Sack Blood thirsty Ngige now and a host of others.

  • NLC greets Nujoma at 90

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has described former Namibian President and freedom fighter, Comrade Sam Nujoma as a revolutionary pan-Africanist and hero of Africa’s fight for liberation from colonialism.

    In a birthday message to the former leader of the South West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO) and signed by President of Congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, the NLC said despite being elected President with a vast majority of votes, Nujoma refused to hold on to office as is the case with most African leaders.

    The NLC recalled how the freedom fighter led his people to independence and proved to be a more successful political leader than a freedom fighter.

    The statement reads: “The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) celebrates Comrade President Samuel Shafiishuna Daniel Nujoma as he turns ninety today. The good grace of long life makes Comrade Sam Nujoma one of the few surviving revolutionary pan Africanist and heroes of Africa’s fight for liberation from colonialism. Kenneth Kaunda is another of such surviving hero.

     Read Also: NLC: minister not fit to hold public office

    “On a day like this, we celebrate the steel, character, resilience, and unsullied sense of patriotism that has defined the life of Sam Nujoma. Born in 1929 to Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Uutoni Helvi Nujoma, Sam Nujoma cut his teeth in the struggle for the liberation of Namibia, then known as South West Africa, as a trade unionist with the South African Railways.

    “Sam Nujoma moved on to become the founding President of South West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO). He led the SWAPO in one of the world’s longest war for independence from 1966 to 1990. After the November 1989 general election in Namibia, Comrade Sam Nujoma was sworn in as the President of the Namibian Republic.

    “Comrade Sam Nujoma proved to be a more successful political leader than a war General. His visionary and altruistic land reform program went smoothly with his national reconciliation agenda and set the pace for a stable Namibia, an example that neighbouring Zimbabwe failed to re-enact thus throwing the country into unnecessary chaos.

    “Despite being elected with a soaring margin of 76.8% of the vote cast in the 1999 Namibian general election, Comrade Sam Nujoma refused to fall for the lure of “presidency for life”. Instead, he supported one of his fellow comrades, Hifikepunye Pohamba, to succeed him in 2004.

    “Namibia has continued to thrive on the strong foundation of inclusion, equity, justice, robust infrastructural development and stability as bequeathed by Comrade Sam Nujoma.

    “On his 90th Birthday, Nigerian workers wish him many more years of good health and opportunities to share his wealth of knowledge, experience and infectious servant leadership with many of our political leaders in Africa who certainly have a lot to learn from this great African son and statesman.”

     

  • Subject Ngige to ridicule at airports, NLC instructs workers

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has directed workers in the nation’s airports and workers in the 163 countries that are members of the International Trade Union Confederation to subject the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige to ridicule for inviting thugs against workers on a “lawful protest” to his house.

    Rising from its Central Working Committee meeting on Thursday evening, Congress demand what it called unreserved apology from the Minister for his action, while asking the government to ensure that the Minister was not reappointed into the next cabinet of the President.

    President of Congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba told newsmen after the meeting that the actions of the Minister was a clear indication that he was not fit to occupy public office and should therefore not be reappoint to government.

    Wabba said the Minister has no right to change the appointment made by the President on the excuse that he never recommended Chief Frank Kokori to head the NSITF board, adding that the real reason he is opposed to Chief Kokori was because the veteran labour leader cannot be compromised.

    He said further that since the Minister has been talking about the issue of corruption in the NSITF, the government should putt in place a judicial commission of enquiry to investigate the agency so as to unravel who the actual corrupt persons are.

    Read Also: Photos: NLC pickets Ngige’s residence

    Wabba said even after the EFCC investigation into the financial activities of the previous board in which a Permanent Secretary in the Ministry was charged, its representatives on the NSITF board were never found wanting, saying “who are the actual corrupt people in NSITF? Is the board that has not been inaugurated or it is the Minister?

    He maintained that the NLC has sent messages to all workers in the 163 countries who are members of the ITUC to embarrass the Minister and members of his family anywhere they are seen, especially at airports where workers operates.

    On criticism that has trailed the decision of congress to picket the Minister’s residence, he said “Ngige is a public officer, holding public office. Untill he leaves office, even his house is a public place. Even Presidents of the world have been picketed in their houses. In any case, we did not access his house. We were only on the street.

    “In any case, he has abandoned his office and has been operating from his house. The house has been his second office for some times now and he has been avoiding any place where he will come in contact with us.

    “We insist that the money in NSITF belong to workers because it is a contribution of employers to take care of the social needs of their workers. That is the only reason why Labour and NECA have two members each on the Board. Even the Ministry of Labour have only one member.

    “So, we are demanding that the Board heeded by Kokori be inaugurated and all the thugs who attacked us in the full glare of security agents be investigated and prosecuted. We are actually surprised that nothing has been done so far”.

    Wabba however said that the national protest will be restricted to Abuja for now and ask all affiliates and state councils to begin to mobilise their members ahead of the protest.

     

  • Current security architecture has failed, NLC tells Buhari

    Worried by the increasing state of insecurity in the country, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Thursday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to rejig the current security architecture in the country with the conclusion that the current system has failed the country.

    The Congress also concluded that the widening gap in poverty between the rich and the poor in the country and the increasing spate of misgovernance as well as none payment of salaries by state government has been largely responsible for the increase in violent crime of armed robbery, kidnapping for ransom and other vices.

    In his message to state Delegates Conference of the Congress, President of Congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba also warned the government against the planned increased in Value Added Tax (VAT) and adhering to the recommendation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to remove subsidy on petroleum products saying such an exercise would erode the gains of new minimum wage recently signed into law.

    Wabba also informed workers that now that the agitation for a new national minimum wage was over, workers should be conscious of the fact the minimum wage is not a gift to them from the government, insisting however that employers of labour should immediately commence the implementation.

    He task the leadership of the variously state councils to emerge from the conferences to push for the implementation of the new wage by state government, pointing out that the argument of whether or not states can implement the new wages has been laid to rest.

    He said there was the need for state governments across the country to cut down on the cost of governance in their various states to conserve resources for the implementation of the new wage.

    He said: “We are all witnesses to the waves of bloodbath and brigandage surfing across our country. There is hardly any day that passes without one incident of armed robbery, kidnap for ransom, militancy or terrorism attack making headlines. We call on government at both federal and state levels to urgently rejig our security architecture, structure, and management.

    “Clearly, the current approach has failed. We also call for a robust and sustainable response to renewed security challenges in our country even if that means an increase in the budget for internal security so long it is judiciously and transparently used.

    ‘The political arena offers one of the most effective spaces for tackling almost all the challenges that we have already highlighted to bring about socio-economic transformation. Unfortunately, the conduct of the last general election left a lot of sour taste in the mouth. Incidences of hate speech, vote buying, ballot box snatching, abuse of provisions for manual accreditation, logistics tardiness, isolated cases of violence, and a spate of inconclusive elections trailed the 2019 general polls.

    “These electoral infractions did not only erode some of the grounds won as a result of the push by the NLC and its allies during the 2007-2011 campaign for electoral reform in Nigeria but also presented new threats to efforts to consolidate and deepen our democracy.

    “The chaos in our electoral space is only symptomatic of the crises of governance bedeviling our country. We cannot lament forever. The onus is on us as the working class to recover the political initiative through the reactivation and repositioning of the Labour Party.

    Read More

  • Dangote, 81 students to bag ABU’s Doctor of Letters, 1st Class

    Billionaire business mogul and President Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote is to be conferred with Honorary Doctor of Letters, while 81 students are to bag 1st Class, as Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria convocates 15,289 students next Saturday.

    One time President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Hassan Adebayo Sunmonu is also to be conferred with Honorary Doctor of Science, at the event which is expected to be honoured by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    This was disclosed in a statement signed by the university’s Registrar, Abdullahi Ahmed Kundila and made available to The Nation on Monday.

    Kundila also disclosed that, convocation lecture entitled ‘It’s All About the Human Capital …’ is to be delivered on Friday by Founder/Chairman of Africa Initiative for Governance (AIG) and former President, Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede.

    Read Also: Dangote, Emirs to get honorary degrees

    According to the Registrar, “There are 15,289 graduands for the Convocation. The number is made up of 10,803 first degrees and 4,486 postgraduates. The postgraduates comprise 304 PhDs, 12 M.Phil, 3092 Masters Programmes, 38 MBA by Distance Learning, and 1020 postgraduate diplomas.

    “The breakdown of the first degrees is as follows:

    First Class -81

    Second Class Upper -2043

    Second Class Lower -6885

    Third Class Honours -1502

    Pass Degree -114

    Unclassified Degree -178.

    “Also, there are 15 best graduating students for the 2017/2018 across all faculties of the University who will receive different prizes at the event from the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ibrahim Garba.

    “As for the honorary degrees, the University will equally confer a Doctor of Letters on Billionaire business mogul and President Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, GCON and a Doctor of Science on former President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Hassan Adebayo Sunmonu, OON.

    “The two honorary degrees recipients will be honoured for their immense contributions to the economic development of Nigeria and humanity in general.

    “Activities lined up for the Convocation include commissioning of a number of projects all over the University by the Hon Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu on Friday morning, 26th April, 2019. The projects are as follows: twin deanery building for Faculties of Life and Physical Sciences, Geology Department extension, ABU Business School extension, ABU Site II entrance gate, Area G internal road, and Biochemistry Department extension.

    “Still on Friday, there will be a Convocation Lecture at 3pm at the University Assembly Hall. The lecture entitled ‘It’s all about the Human Capital …Stupid’ is to be delivered by Founder/Chairman of Africa Initiative for Governance (AIG) and former President, Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, CON. The lecture is to be chaired by Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, MFR.

    “On Thursday, 25th April, 2019, Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, will witness the showcasing of some ABU Centres of Excellence and commission projects all at the famous Kashim Ibrahim Library (KIL). This will be after the Vice-Chancellor unveils the new signage of ABU gates at ABU main entrance and North gate.

    “The convocation will be rounded off with commissioning of 10 blocks consisting of 360 rooms built at ABU Site II and donated to ABU by President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, GCON to alleviate the acute shortage of student accommodation in the University. The student hostel blocks named after the donor (Aliko Dangote Hall) is to be commissioned by Alhaji Dangote himself.

    “Another three blocks of hostels also constructed in Site II by the University under the NEEDS Assessment Intervention project 2013 will be commissioned by His Highness, Alhaji Shehu Idris, CFR, Emir of Zazzau. These hostels are named after the Emir in appreciation of the dogged fatherly role he always plays in the affairs of the University since his ascension to the throne as Emir of Zazzau, forty years ago.

    “The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Ibrahim Garba, FNMGS is, therefore, inviting all 2017/2018 graduands, their parents and guardians as well as the general public to this great event.

    “The Visitor to the University, His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will be the special guest of honour while His Excellency, Malam Nasir El-Rufa’i, Executive Governor, Kaduna State is to serve as the chief host. His Highness, Alhaji Shehu Idris, Emir of Zazzau, is to be the royal father of the day while the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Ibrahim Garba, will be the host,” The Register said.

  • Minimum wage: Organised Labour wants immediate implementation

    Organised Labour made up of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has asked employers of labour in the country, especially states and federal government to immediately commence the implementation off the N30, 000 minimum wage following the signing into law of the minimum wage bill by the President.

    In separate statements made available to The Nation, the NLC and TUC commended the President for signing into law the new national minimum wage bill of N30,.

    General Secretary of the NLC, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson said in a statement made available to newsmen that signing the bill into law was only the first step and call for the immediate implementation of the law, given the fact that this process has dragged on for nearly two years.

    Read Also: NLC to partner MINILS on capacity building

    He urged employers, particularly federal and state governments, to commence immediate negotiations with the appropriate unions on the impact of the new law on the wage structure with a view to timely and judicious implementation.

    Also, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) said it was gladdening that the bill passed by both chambers of the National Assembly before the general election has been signed by the President

    In a statement signed by the President, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama and Secretary General, Comrade Musa-Lawal Ozigi, the TUC said the new wage would in no small measure give workers a sense of belonging.

    The TUC said while organised labour appreciates the approval of the new wage, it is also instructive to note that its gains have been eroded by inflation, adding that prices of commodities have gone up even when employers have not commenced payment.

    The statement said “the N30, 000 monthly National Minimum Wage that we are even asking for to a family of six actually amounts to less than N50 per meal per person. It is exclusive of utility bills, school fees, etc.

    “Given our extended family system as Africans we are also expected to once in a while extend hands of fellowship to parents, in-laws, relations, friends who have lost their jobs, brothers and people of the same faith.

    “We recall that some lawmakers promised to give the wage bill supersonic attention whenever it was brought before them and they have kept to their word. To us it means we still have men and women with milk of kindness left in them.”

    The TUC asked the President, the National Assembly and well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on governors to pay workers their salaries and pension to pensioners as and when due to avoid crisis in the industrial sector.

     

  • Minimum Wage: NLC, TUC laud Buhari

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for signing the N30,000 minimum wage bill into law.

    Mr Peter Ozo-Eson, General Secretary, NLC and Mr Bobboi Kaigama, the President of TUC in separate interviews on Friday in Abuja, described the action as laudable.

    Ozo-Eson said that the NLC and Nigerian workers appreciated the swift response of Buhari, adding that such move would assuage the feelings of Nigerian workers.

    According to him, we hope that all employers of labour will commence the process of implementing the new minimum wage of N30, 000 as passed by Buhari.

    He commended the National Assembly for not playing politics with the Nigerian workers by given the minimum wage bill a speedy passage.

    Read Also: Buhari signs N30,000 Minimum Wage Bill

    Ozo-Eson said that the NLC would work with all agencies and other bodies responsible for the implementation of the new minimum wage.

    On his part, Kaigama, commended the president for assenting to the minimum wage bill, while describing it as laudable and timely.

    According to him, the President’s response has always been labours position, adding that “we in TUC want to appreciate the President for not jettisoning the path of honour”.

    He congratulated Nigerian workers for the new minimum wage, adding that no stone would be left unturned to see that Nigerian workers get a living wage.

    Buhari on Thursday signed the minimum wage into law which mandates employers of labour to pay workers a minimum of N30, 000 monthly wage.

    The bill was passed by the National Assembly in March.

    NAN

  • Sign minimum wage bill into law before Workers Day, NLC tells Buhari

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Thursday appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the new National Minimum Wage bill for the Nigerian workers recently passed into law by both chambers of the National Assembly before the 2019 workers day celebration.

    Speaking in an interview with The Nation in Abuja, General Secretary of Congress, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson said with the passage of the bill into law, the President should immediately sign it into law in other to give effect to his promise to ensure the welfare of the Nigerian workers.

    It was recently rumoured that the President has signed the bill into law giving workers hope that they may start enjoying the new minimum wage before the May day celebration, but it turned out to be a false alarm.

    Both Chambers of the National Assembly passed N30,000 as the new national minimum, increasing the government recommendation of N27,000, but Ozo-Eson said the delay by Mr President over the wage for workers in the country has become very worrisome.

    Read Also: Buhari, security chiefs meet in Aso Rock

    He said “We are concerned that it has taken this long, since the transmission from the National Assembly to the presidency of the bill that both house and the Senate passed.

    “We have thought that given all processes before arriving at that point. The long delay in setting up a tripartite committee, the long period before the tripartite committee to now finalized and all the debates that have gone on

    “We thought that this was something Mr President will ascent to very quickly. Because as we have earlier indicated, we will want this implementation to be on before May. That is by May Day workers can be assured of the direction of implementation

    “Our position is to call on Mr. President to without further delay to ascent to the New National Minimum Wage bill. So that workers can start to enjoy the new minimum wage implementation before May Day.

    He emphasized that apart from the public sector, workers in the private sector were also waiting for the law to be implemented in order to make its own full negotiations and plans, while insisting that in  implementing the new national minimum wage would also allow the economy to be operated in an environment of certainty.

  • NLC: seek judicial redress instead of self-help

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has asked politicians and their political parties, aggrieved as a result of the just concluded general elections not to resort to self-help but seek help from the judicial system, saying as patriot, Nigerians must collectively work towards sustaining the nation’s democracy.

    The congress also asked President Muhammadu Buhari to consider returning to the implementation of Justice Uwais report on electoral reform with a view to eliminating and discouraging interference in the nation’s electoral process.

    It also asked the Independent National Electoral Commission to ensure the conduct of free and fair elections in places where elections was declared inconclusive, while frowning at the conduct of some soldiers deployed for electoral duties during the just concluded polls across the country.

    In a statement signed by Acting President of the Congress, Comrade Amaechi Asugwani, the workers umbrella body said it was ratifying to note the insistance of the INEC that no certificate of return will be issued in situation where election results were announced under duress, adding that such should be made to serve as deterrant to politicians.

    He said “In the spirit of the peace accord signed by the major political parties prior to the 2019 general election, we urge all persons aggrieved by the conduct of the elections to refrain from self-help. Those with genuine grievances should resort to the legal process for the redress of all wrongs.

    “As patriots who are committed to nation building, we have no other option but to collectively work towards the sustenance, improvement and deepening of our democracy. There is no option to democracy”.

    According to the congress: “The conduct of the 2019 Nigerian general election was largely peaceful in many parts of the country. Yet, there were a number of logistic and security issues that dogged the conduct of this year’s general election.

    “First, the date of the Presidential and National Assembly elections was shifted from 16th February 2019 to 3rd March 2019 in the early hours of D-day while Governorship and State House of Assembly elections was postponed from 3rd March to 9th March 2019. This attracted widespread condemnation by Nigerians and the international community and contributed to low turnout of voters during the 2019 general election.

    “The public expectations after the postponement was that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would put its acts together and ensure that the conduct of the elections on the postponed dates was impeccable.

    “Unfortunately, that was hardly the case as the elections were blighted by perennial tardy logistics such as late arrival of election materials to polling units, failure of data capture machines in some polling units and poor knowledge of election rules by many INEC ad hoc staff.

    “Furthermore, desperate politicians with an agenda to manipulate the electoral process to their own advantage played out the script of ballot box snatching, intimidation of election officials, waylaying of collation centres and general perpetration of violence.

    “While INEC should be commended for insisting on the use of card readers for elections in every part of the country and for issuing a policy statement that no election result obtained through duress would be validated by issuance of certificate of return, it is clear that these pronouncements hardly served as sufficient deterrence to those bent on foisting the rule of the jungle on our election process.

    “Despite the fears expressed by Nigerians with respect to the deployment of the military during elections, soldiers were deployed presumably to preempt ballot box snatching, destruction of voting materials and arrest any drift to widespread violence. While the deployment of the military was helpful in preventing skirmishes from different local hotspots from degenerating into society-wide brigandage, the conduct of some soldiers deployed in some parts of the country to maintain public order left a lot to be desired.

    “First, contrary to the judgements of Federal High Courts in Sokoto and Lagos which were later upheld by the Court of Appeal in the legal suit – “Yussuf vs Obasanjo” – and which stated that the job of maintaining security during elections primarily resides with the Police, some military personnel went outside their duty call to invade polling units and collation centres, and intimidate election officials, conducts that were in violation of our laws and scared many voters from exercising their franchise.

    “Also, the deployment of military personnel to harass political rivals was a new low in our electoral history and presents a serious setback to recent electoral reform gains. We call on the military high command to investigate these infractions and bring the culprits, whoever they are, to book as a deterrence to others.

    “Going forward, there is need for serious national conversations on critical areas of improvement in the conduct of elections in Nigeria. We also call for a sincere revisit of the Justice Uwais Electoral Reform Report especially as it relates to reinforcing INEC’s independence, unbundling of INEC and creation of Elections Offences Commission.

    “We call on President Muhammadu Buhari to show commitment to implementing aspects of Uwais Report which relevance is validated by recent developments in our electoral space. We also demand that INEC must ensure free, fair, and credible elections in some states where the process was declared inconclusive and polls rescheduled for 23rd March 2019.

    “Efforts must also be re-doubled to develop a new national civic culture that venerates the rule of law. The trend where politicians consider themselves successful to the extent that they are able to manipulate our electoral laws, maim and kill their fellow citizens, bribe voters and perpetrate all sort of electoral shenanigans must be put to a stop.

    “INEC shares some responsibilities in the shortcomings witnessed during the last general elections. First, despite the insistence by INEC on the use of card readers for the election, the purported failure of the card readers to read the finger prints of the electorates in many polling units resulted to widespread use of manual accreditation which many politicians took advantage of to deploy hired hands to vote with multiple Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) even in the absence of the authentic owners of the PVCs.

    “We call on INEC to completely outlaw the use of manual accreditation for voting. We also call for continuous audit of the voters roll. We must take advantage of technological advancement and work with all relevant stakeholders to deploy technology in a way that minimizes to the barest human interference with our electoral process as a nation. INEC must stick to early planning and adequate training of personnel deployed on election duties.

    “In the spirit of the peace accord signed by the major political parties prior to the 2019 general election, we urge all persons aggrieved by the conduct of the elections to refrain from self-help. Those with genuine grievances should resort to the legal process for the redress of all wrongs.

    “As patriots who are committed to nation building, we have no other option but to collectively work towards the sustenance, improvement and deepening of our democracy. There is no option to democracy”.

     

     

  • Edo NLC, TUC pledge support for APC candidates

    The Edo State chapters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have pledged to sustain their support for the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration.

    Both unions made the pledge when members of its Administrative Council held an interactive session with the governor, at Government House in Benin City on Wednesday.

    They promised that they would vote candidates that would support the developmental strides of the governor in the March 9, House of Assembly Election.

    Chairman of the state chapter of NLC, Comrade Emmanuel Ademokun, thanked the governor for the several worker-friendly policies and programmes he has initiated and pledged the union’s total support for the government in order to ensure that candidates who will support Obaseki’s development agenda are elected come Saturday, March 9.

    “You have done enough for workers in the state and they cannot thank you enough. We get our salaries as and when due, you are paying salary arrears and we have gone around the local government councils in the state and we see your footprints,’’ Ademokun said.

    Addressing the workers, Obaseki assured that as long as he remains governor of the state, no worker in the state civil service would lose his or her job.

    He assured that his administration would continue to prioritise the welfare of workers and pay the new National Minimum Wage as soon as it is passed into law.

    The governor appealed to the workers to support candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in next Saturday’s House of Assembly election to enable him sustain the developmental initiatives he has started in the state.

    “We will not go back to the days when people worked in the local councils and were not paid salaries. I will not retrench any worker, instead I will train them just as I did with teachers in the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (Edo-BEST) programme,” the governor said.

    In his vote of thanks, the State Chairman of TUC, Comrade Marshal Ohue, thanked the governor and assured that workers in the state were solidly behind the governor.

    The unions also presented local government executives from the 18 Local Government Areas of the state to the governor.