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Tag: Nigeria Labour Congress

  • Mass killings may scare investors, says NLC  

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has raised the alarm that the frequent serial killings in some states may scare foreign investors from the country if not urgently tackled.

    The NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, reacting to the killings around the country, notably in Benue, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Rivers and Taraba states, lamented that these mass murders have continued unabated as if the nation’s  security agencies are helpless.

    Noting that the action could make the outside world to consider Nigeria  unsafe, he maintained that no government can survive the horror of another terrorist group in the country.

    “Mass killing is enough a symptom of terrorism and we can’t afford to have our country classified as a safe haven for terrorist groups as these will scare off the much needed foreign investors,” he said.

    According to him, “these killings have not only threatened security of lives and properties but constituted a major impediment to the much needed growth and development of the country as regular work in both informal and formal sectors of the economy have grimly been hampered while the economy groans.”

  • Unionists embrace investment

    Unionists embrace investment

    For the average Nigerian worker, unionism is about fighting for workers’ welfare, and sometimes downing tools. To the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), it entails more than that. There is a time to fight and a time to think straight and productively, considering that employers will not always meet the need of its members. MHWUN owns a massive secretariat complex in the Durumi area of Abuja that provides office accommodation for other unions; it also operates a number of hotels around Abuja. The whole idea is to improve its revenue base through its investments. The union also plans to build a 300-bed specialist hospital to take care of the health needs of members and other Nigerians. A 1.4 hectare plot of land in the Daki Biu area of the Abuja metropolis has already breen acquired for the project. MHWUN has equally opened a dedicated account to finance it.

    President of the union, Biobelemoye Joy Josiah said it aved a whopping N300 million for the project from checkoff dues of members and savings from its other investments. The hospital whose ground breaking event was performed by the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is to constructed in two phases, with the first phase consisting of 150 bed hospital, while the second phase will consist of another 150 bed space, a staff quarters and other facilities that will make the hospital one of the best in the country.

    It is the first hospital to be constructed by a Labour union in the country and is expected to provide medical care for Nigerians and members of the union. The union said the hospital will provide its members the opportunity to practice what the preach, halt medical tourism abroad and provide quality health care delivery to its members.

    NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, himself a former President of the union who conceived the project, said the NLC is already discussing with the Cuban embassy with a  view to getting specialist doctors from Cuba to assist in running the hospital when it is completed, adding that the embassy as indicated its willingness to deploy some doctors to them to provide the needed technical assistance. Wabba said with the ground-breaking for the hospital, health care providers in the country will be fulfilled as they will have a hospital that will set standard and ensure quality service delivery and halt medical tourism from the country. Wabba said as health care professional, member of the union will have a well-equipped facility to carry out what they preach as well as take care of their members welfare in terms of medical attention. Wabba said the union should be able to collaborate with their counterparts across the globe to run the hospital as a world-class medical facility, describing it as a health facility with a difference and asked other Industrial unions in the country to emulate the Medical and Health Workers Union in making investments and stop relying solely on check off dues to run their affairs. The NLC President challenged state and local government chapters of the union to emulate the national body by initiating similar hospital projects for their members at the local levels.

    He said, “You can even start with maternity centres where our members can be attended to easily. It is unfortunate that Nigeria still has the highest mortality rate in the part of the world because of lack of basic health facilities. So, we can help address this if we have health centres with the needed facilities and dedicated staff who will operate professionally and are highly motivated”.

    On his part, Josiah said the union planned to construct the 300 bed hospital to give effect to its principle of diversification and not rely on check off dues and to give members quality health care delivery service and held check medical tourism abroad. He disclosed that the union has put in place a dedicated account to fund the hospital project estimated to cost the union about N1.2 billion, adding that phase one of the hospital consisting of 300 is expected to be completed within 18 months, saying “we are estimating 18 months for its completion. But we hope and pray that we are able to complete it before that period”. The first of its kind in the country, when completed, the hospital is expected to be equipped with an helipad for emergency medical services, while a staff quarters will also be constructed within the hospital complex. Josiah said the union has also diverted part of its National secretariat to a hotel that will provide quality services to Nigerians and members of the union and the Labour family.

    When The Nation visited the site of the hospital project, it was discovered that plans have been put in motion to commence construction work. The entire 1.4 hectare of land had been cleared in readiness for the construction of work and the President of the Union said they were hopeful for a timely completion of the hospital project which is expected to be equipped with modern hospital facilities, including a helipad for emergency services. He was confident that a lot of members of the union are still active, but retired will be offered the opportunity to work in the facility.

    Interestingly, aside the hotel and hospital projects being embarked upon by the union, Josiah said the union decided to construct part of the road leading to its national secretariat to make the place more accessible and appeal the Federal Capital Territory Administration to take up the challenge and construct the remaining part of the road. He said if the government fail to accept the challenge, the union may decide to construct the remaining portion of the road. Even though the union will not disclose the amount of money spent in the construction of the half kilometer stress of the road constructed by the union, The Nation discovered that the road was constructed using interlock. It was commissioned by the NLC President in company of some past leaders of the union. Some members of the union spoken were full of praises for the union, pointing out that they were surprise to see what their check off dues was being for.

  • NLC wants affordable workers’ houses

    NLC wants affordable workers’ houses

    President of Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC ), Mr Ayuba Wabba, on Tuesday in Abuja called for a realistic housing scheme that would enable workers afford houses in the country.

    Wabba made the call at a two-day public hearing organised by House of Representatives Committee on Housing.

    The hearing was sequel to the adoption of a motion on “the need for stakeholders to ensure full compliance with the National Housing Fund (NHF) Act for effective housing delivery in Nigeria’’.

    “For us to address the issue of housing deficit, we must have an agreeable interest rate that is affordable to citizens and workers, if not the houses will be built and will not be affordable,’’ Wabba said.

    Read also: NLC calls for upward review of pensions

    He called on the Federal Government to intervene by providing the necessary funds required to drive the housing scheme in the country.

    The NLC president, who decried the violation of the NHF Act by some stakeholders, added that failure of commercial banks to contribute to the fund also retarded progress of the scheme.

    “The major issue has been the interest rate on the loan that is now available with our commercial banks.

    “This has been a serious burden and cannot be called a mortgage,’’ he said.

    He expressed worry that Nigerian workers could still not afford the houses in spite of putting in 2.5 per cent of their monthly salaries to have shelter.

    “We actually keyed into the scheme but along the line in 2003 and 2004, we had challenges because the houses were built and workers could not afford them.

    “The type of houses required were not the type built, so hundreds of houses are lying fallow in Abuja because nobody can afford them,’’ Wabba added.

    He stressed the need to take the houses to rural areas to enable workers have access to them.

    NAN

  • Bayelsa owes only five months salary – Commissioner

    Bayelsa owes only five months salary – Commissioner

    The Bayelsa government on Thursday described the impression that it was owing workers between 10 and 16 months salary backlog as inaccurate and insisted that outstanding obligation to its workfore was four-and-a-half months.

    The state government clarified the status of indebtedness to labour in a statement issued by Mr Daniel Iworiso-Markson, Bayelsa Commissioner for Information.

    According to Iworiso-Markson, the arrears of four and half months accumulated in 2016 due to a sharp drop in the revenue profile of the state adding that following improvements in receipts from the federation account the state has no outstanding salary in 2017 fiscal year.

    Bayelsa Deputy Governor Rear Admiral John Jonah had on November 7 announced that the state government withheld the October 2017 salary of some 4, 200 workers in the local government system accused of involvement in payroll fraud.

    Messrs John Ndiomu and Tari Dounana, Chairmen of Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress respectively had challenged the state government to provide evidence for its action and prosecute those indicted as the unions would not support illegality.

    The Bayelsa government further said that it had nothing to do with the salary backlog in the councils as the local governments in Bayelsa enjoyed financial autonomy.

    Read also: How much does Dickson owe civil servants in Bayelsa?

    “As a matter of state policy, the Seriake Dickson’s administration does not tamper with local government allocations. This fact must be stressed because of the falsehood being peddled in some quarters that the state is owing local government workers.

    “It is public knowledge that government is waging a war against an endemic payroll fraud in the civil service in Bayelsa.

    “Last week, the state government in a bid to ensure a holistic implementation of the reforms introduced by the governor, withheld the salaries of 4,200 personnel suspected to be involved in the systemic fraud in the state.

    “Also, intensified efforts are being made to sanitize the system that has left the eight local government areas of the state with an unimaginable size of wage bill. The motive of the reforms is to have a wage bill with only genuine workers.

    “However, state owes salary arrears of four and a half months from last year when the economic recession was at its peak.

    “The government was compelled to pay half salaries at the time for six months because of the issue of paucity of funds caused by the recession. Even some of the outstanding arrears have been paid thereby reducing the figure to four and half months,” the statement read in part.

    NAN

  • NLC condemns sack of 5000 workers in Kaduna

    NLC condemns sack of 5000 workers in Kaduna

    The Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC ) has condemned the sack of 5,000 local government workers by the Kaduna State Government.

    In a statement on Thursday in Abuja, President of NLC, Mr Ayuba Wabba, said the action of the state government was illegal.

    According to him, the Nigeria Labour Congress strongly condemns the mass sacking of 5,000 local government workers by the Kaduna State Government.

    “The purported sack violates the provisions of all labour laws, industrial relations practice as well as processes.

    “The reasons adduced by the government are spurious and unfounded. Aside from this, the process is patently faulty and unlawful, and redundancy cannot be carried out without following the provisions of the Labour Act.

    “When Kaduna Government announced the plan to lay off about 25,000 teachers for failing a competency test for Primary Four Class, we expressed our misgivings.

    “We said that the so-called competency test was a subterfuge and part of a premeditated plan to drastically cut down the workforce.

    “This is in furtherance to dangerous neo-liberal policies. The latest illegal mass sack of workers lends credence to our assertions or fears.

    “We would want to warn of the consequences of the reckless actions of the government of Kaduna State and will call for caution and restraint on the part of the government,’’ he said.

    The labour leader said it was evident that the state government did not give sufficient consideration to the social consequences of dropping off 5,000 workers.

    He deplored reports that the governor boasted that no one or nothing could stop him from carrying out his agenda of mass retrenchment of workers.

    “This is most unfortunate and a direct fulfilment of the exact opposite of his campaign promise and APC’s manifesto to create jobs.

    “He often says as Governor, he has the right, power, means and will to do as he likes, but this is undemocratic and anti-workers.

    “We are worried by these emotional outbursts, and their infectious effects on his peers and the polity as a whole.

    “We at the Nigeria Labour Congress expected more maturity and flexibility.

    Read also: Rescuing Kaduna’s troubled education sector

    “We accordingly advise the government to rescind its decision on the mass sack. We call on President Muhammadu Buhari and his party, the APC, to call the governor to order,’’ he said.

    Wabba also noted that the President’s support for a reform in the education sector was not synonymous with “mindless and conscienceless retrenchment’’.

    He said that some states in the federation had carried out far-reaching reforms in the education sector with impressive results without causing social violence.

    He, therefore, called on the state government to heed to wise counsel given in good faith, adding that the statement should be considered as a served notice.

    The congress president said that workers would use all lawful means available to contest the wave of the mass sack.

    He said that NLC would mobilize workers and pensioners across the nation and its civil society allies in solidarity with workers in Kaduna

    NAN

  • Kaduna: You promised to create not kill jobs – NLC tells Buhari

    Kaduna: You promised to create not kill jobs – NLC tells Buhari

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has condemned President Muhammadu Buhari ‘s endorsement of the sack of about 22,000 teachers by the Kaduna state government, saying it was regrettable that a government that promised to create jobs for the people is rather killing jobs. 

    Deputy President of Congress, Comrade Peters Adeyemi told The Nation that the President was wrong in backing the decision by the Kaduna state government without hearing from the representatives of the workers, pointing out that the President should realize that the entire country was his constituency.

    President Buhari reportedly backed the action of the Kaduna state government to embark on a mass sack of teachers who allegedly failed competency test, but the NLC is insisting that the government made up its mind to sack workers and not because the teachers failed an exam.

    He said: “We just heard about that and I doubt if that is correct. If that is correct, then one is in doubt whether the President was well informed. Clearly, as a father, the President is expected to listen to all the sides to a story. It will be unfortunate if the President took a position by only listening to the governor of Kaduna state which we know is a party person.

    Related: Shehu Sani goofed on Kaduna teachers!

    “The President should realize that the entire country is his constituency and every Organisation including the Labour movement is part of his constituency. So, it is unfortunate that statement was made. 

    “We condemn it if it is true because it is clearly condemnable for our respected President to approve in a jiffy an action of a government that put into the unemployment market at one full sweep 22,000 to 30,000 workers without conducting any investigation. Labour is still contesting this matter to say it is not correct. We think it is clearly unfair NDE something that is regrettable. We in the Labour movement will seriously seek an audience with Mr. President on this matter and put our case to him. 

    “We do not think it was the right decision to take because it is clearly unfair. I do not think it is right because this government promised employment and not unemployment. This government said it will create jobs. They did not tell that they will kill jobs. 

    “For God sake, who employed those workers in the first instance? Why not deal with those who employed those you think are not supposed to be in the employment. These people did not employ themselves in the first place. Government employed them and they have been working with the government who now find them unemployable overnight?

    Gov Nasir el Rufai
    Gov Nasir el Rufai

     

    “Labour has contested whether it is within the right of the Kaduna state government to set exams for teachers. The answer is no because we know clearly that you can set exams for people to fail. If you really want to sack workers, you can design questions that will make them fail. 

    “The question we should ask ourselves is, is the Kaduna state government not on the part of sacking workers? They want to sack workers and they have achieved that. I learnt they claimed to have given approval for an equal number of workers to be employed. 

    Also Read: Kaduna teachers’ sack: Assembly raises probe panel

    “They can say that to the wind and not to us. We don’t support the President’s endorsement of the action. We are in a democratic dispensation and we don’t support the sack of about 22,000 to 30,000 workers at a go. It is not supported by us.”

    Meanwhile, the Congress has asked the governor to withdraw his unpopular policy or face what it described as the mother of all rally, saying no amount of intimidation will deter it from protecting the rights of workers.

    President of Congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba said in a statement made available to The Nation that the planned mobilisation of youths across the state by the government to demonstrate in support of the mass sack of workers will not help his administration, asking him to beat a tactical retreat instead.

    The Congress accused the state governor of wasting the state resources to mobilise thugs and youths to demonstrate in support of his policy and asked the youths not to be deceived by the government. 

    The statement reads: “We have credible information that the Governor of Kaduna State has directed the Sole Administrators in the 23 local governments in the state to use the resources of the local governments to mobilise thugs to Kaduna metropolis to demonstrate in support of his obnoxious policy on the mass sack of workers. 

    “We at the Nigeria Labour Congress condemn the use of public funds for the pursuit of nihilistic and sadistic agenda. It is criminal and goes against the grain of civilised behaviour and transparency. 

    “It is equally the height of hypocrisy, impunity, moral turpitude and self-righteousness. We advise the Governor to put this money to more fruitful or beneficial use of Kaduna State people instead of this brazen profligacy.

    “We equally advise the youths in the state not to allow themselves to be used by the Governor as it is the jobs of their parents that are being put on the line. We would want to make the point that no amount of money can make up for the means of livelihood of their parents or guardians; thus they should shun this inducement.

    “On our part, we would want to sound a note of caution to the Governor. After our Wednesday rally, we had thought he had seen the handwriting on the wall….the overwhelming resentment against his unpopular and self-serving policies.

    “His resolve to rent youths/crowds with scarce public funds ( from the local governments where he has created starvation, unemployment and want), instead of tactical withdrawal,   clearly suggests how far gone he is on a mission of self-immolation as well as on a mission to  destroy careers, means of livelihood and homes.

    “We want to reassure him we will resist his malevolent, inhuman and unlawful policies with all the lawful means available to us. Accordingly, he should be ready to keep a date with us in a mother of all rallies as we mobilise workers, pensioners, and our civil society allies across the country to the state. It is a date we intend to keep with  him except he advises himself wisely.”

  • NLC President leads protest against sack of teachers in Kaduna

    NLC President leads protest against sack of teachers in Kaduna

    ….assembly properties vandalised by protesters – Speaker

     

    The Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC ), President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba on Wednesday led workers on streets protest in Kaduna State capital, against plan by the state government to sack 21,780 teachers.

    Meanwhile, the protest which terminated at the state House of Assembly left some properties within the assembly complex destroyed.

    The protesting workers demanded that, the government should rescind its decision or have the entire labour force to contend with.

    Marching and singing anti government song along major roads in the state capital, and carrying placards with various inscriptions, the workers asked the Kaduna state government not to sack the teachers for failing to pass the competency test administered on them sometime in June this year.

    They argued that government has no constitutional powers to organize such exam for teachers, saying only the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) has the mandate to do so.

    They also gave the state government two weeks to cancel the planned dismissal of teachers, or they will embark on an indefinite strike.

    Addressing the workers, Mr, Waba assured them that the leadership of the NLC will support them and ensure that they get what they deserve from the state government.

    The Nation gathered that, the protest was jointly organised by the state chapters of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE).

    It was also gathered that, NULGE and NUT leaders from 18 states in the North came in solidarity with their colleagues in Kaduna.

    The local government employees, were said to be protesting against the planned sack of about 4000 of their members.

    While the protest was going on in the city center, hundreds of school children were said to have been mobilised at Mararaban Rido where they blocked Kachia road, leaving commuters plying the Kaduna – Kachia road stranded for a long period.

    However, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Aminu Abdullahi Shagali confirmed the destruction of some assembly properties by the protesting workers.

    The Speaker in his official twitter handle, #Rt. Hon Speaker KADAssembly twitted some photographs and videos of the vandalised properties.

    One of the Speaker’s tweets read that, “The NUT protesters are destroying properties of the Kaduna State House of Assembly.

    “The gate of the Kaduna State House of Assembly was destroyed by the protesters against the sack of unqualified primary school teachers”, the Speaker said.

    The Nation recall that the state chapter of NUT had on Monday issued a two weeks ultimatum to Governor Nasir El-Rufai to rescind his government’s decision to sack the 21,780 primary teachers who failed the competency test or face indefinite strike.

    Primary school pupils had also been used in that past two days to protest that government’s decision.

    Meanwhile, the state government had maintained its resolved to sack the 21,780 teachers who failed the competency test, while it has since commenced process to recruit 25,000 new teachers to replace those to be sacked.

    Read Also: Attention, Kaduna Police Commissioner

  • Unknown gunmen kill Kogi labour union leader

    Unknown gunmen kill Kogi labour union leader

    The Chairman of the Non Academic Staff Union of Secondary School, Science and Technology Education Board (STEB) branch in Kogi State, Mallam Abdulmumini Yakubu has been murdered by unknown gunmen.

    Following the development, the organised labour in the state on on Thursday suspended ongoing negotiation with government.

    The negotiation which took off on Wednesday, was to explore ways of resoling knotty issues on the salary crisis in the state.

    The late Yahubu, who doubled as a community leader was reportedly murdered at Ozuwaya, in Okene Local Government Area, alongside one Mallam Ibrahim Otaru, who was on a visit.

    Sources close to the family said he was killed by heavily armed gunmen, while performing ablution preparatory to observing his prayer.

    The killers numbering about five were said to have alighted from a Toyota Sienna vehicle and opened fire on their victims.

    The gunshots were said to have scared those around running for safety, upon which the unidentified gunmen made sure that Yakubu was dead before they zoomed off.

    “Mallam Abdulmumin Yakub was killed at Ozuwaya in front of his house by unknown gunmen. He was shot on the head together with one other person.

    “It’s a shame that our society has turned into blood society… by taking innocent lives, whether for personal, worldly or whichever reasons,” said a source.

    Until his death, Yakubu was a staff of Kogi State Science Teachers Board Lokoja, Kogi State, NASU Chairman and Ozuwaya Community chairman.

    In a related development, unknown gunmen on Tuesday night killed a 55 year old man, identified as Abdulganiu Aduki.

    His five year-old daughter and the wife sustaines injury in the incident at Nagazi in Adavi LGA.

    It was gathered that the incident took place at Inori Street of Nagazi, around 7.30pm on Tuesday.
    The gunmen were saidcto have stormed the house, shot him dead while his daughter and wife sustained varying degree of injury during the attack.

    The gunmen were said to have left thereafter without taking anything away from the house.

    The administrator of Adavi LG, Mallam Abu Enesi Ajoge was said to have rushed the woman and her daughter to the hospital for medical attention.

    The deceased, it was gathered worked as a carpenter at Inoziomi area of Adavi local government.

    “The killers came on Tuesday evening, shot him and injured his daughter and his wife. The attackers were not robbers; they went to the man directly. I was told that they did not take away any property”, said a resident of the area.

    Policemen from the Adavi division later came to the area to take photographs and evacuate the body.

    The Kogi State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. William Ayah confirmed the incident.

    According to him, the police will “surely get the killers of Abdulganiu”.

    Ayah, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), added: “There was a report that the man was dead and was in a pool of blood and his daughter and wife  were confirmed seriously injured.

    “His wife and  daughter were also seriously injured and they have been taken to a hospital for treatment.

    “The command is working assiduously to unravel the occurrence. We have some leads which we are working on, and we are optimistic of breaking through”.

    Meanwhile, the organised labour in Kogi State says it has suspended discussion with government on the on-going strike following the gruesome murder of a labour leader, Mallam Abdulmumuni Yakubu in Okene on Wednesday.

    The Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Onuh Edoka and his TUC counterpart, Comrade Ranti Matthew Ojo gave the indication in a statement issued on Thursday in Lokoja.

    According to the statement, the negotiation with the government which was to continue on Thursday was suspended to enable labour leaders mourn their slain colleague.

    According to them, the late Abdulmumuni Yakubu who was until his death,  the branch chairman of Non Academic Staff  Union of Secondary Schools (NASU) at the Kogi State Science Technology and Technical Education Board, was gruesomely murdered alongside his friend, in his house in Okene on Wednesday night.

    According to the organised labour, the murder of the unionist was a confirmation of the fear that the lives of the labour leaders in the state are daily threatened, because of their agitations for better welfare package for civil servants in the state.

    They said, “The labour leaders will only return to negotiating table as soon as there is full assurance of their safety and that of the members of their families”.

    They condemned the murder of the union leader and called on Kogi State Police Command and the Kogi State government to urgently unravel his killers, saying the organised labour in the state will fight on to ensure that his death would not go the way of many unresolved murder cases in Kogi State

    They urged workers to remain steadfast and prayerful, for “God will surely intervene” in their matter shortly .

    They commensurate with the family of the late Abdulmumini.

  • Unpaid salaries: Organised labour threaten mass action in Kogi

    Unpaid salaries: Organised labour threaten mass action in Kogi

    The organised labour in Kogi has threatened to call out its members for mass action, should government continues to default in the payment of salary to its workers.

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council (JPSNC) issued the threat in a statement in Lokoja on Tuesday.

    Messrs Olakunle Faniyi, secretary of NLC, Mr James Kolawole, TUC and Mr Isa Abubakar of the JPSNC.

    They said that the mass action was to protest government’s insensitivity and indifference to the plight of their members that had not been paid salaries for between two and 21 months.

    The officers said though the unions directed the workers in the state to embark on indefinite strike since Sept. 27, the state government were yet to invite them for negotiation.

    They said that workers would not succumb to threat of sack and called on them to remain firm and committed to the struggle.

    “It is the right of workers to embark on strike when their employers have failed to meet with the terms of employment, therefore the principle of ‘no-pay-no-work’ also applies,” the unions said.

    NLC, TUC and JPSNC commiserated with the family of late Edward Soje who committed suicide on Oct. 16 ( NAN)