The Nation Newspaper

Tag: NLC

  • NLC, Atiku demand Sowore’s release

    NLC, Atiku demand Sowore’s release

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar have called for the release of rights activity, Omoyele Sowore.

    A statement by NLC President  Joe Ajaero reads: “We strongly condemn the frequent arrest and long spells in detention of Sowore, a renowned civil rights activist. It is all the more unacceptable if he was injured in the course of his arrest, as it is being alleged.

    “If Sowore has offended any big man or woman in government or has in any way offended the law, they should be bold enough to explore the legal options available, such as going to court, but certainly not to resort to this level of harassment. How many times has Sowore been arrested this year alone?

    “Freedom of speech and freedom of association are some of the inalienable rights guaranteed by our constitution, and it is only fit and proper that the government is seen to respect these citizen rights.

    “The NLC warns that silence in the face of such repression is complicity. If the state can arbitrarily detain Sowore today, no journalist, no trade unionist, no activist, and no ordinary citizen is safe tomorrow.

    “We cannot allow Nigeria to slide back into the dark days of dictatorship, where fear replaces freedom and dissent is met with brute force.

    “It soils the image of the government before its citizens and the international community when it behaves in a way that suggests that it is above the law.

    Read Also: NLC strike paralyses govt activities in Ogun

    “We are duty-bound to not only alert the nation to the inherent dangers of government observing these rights in breach but to point out the consequences of an observance in breach. The government, like all the other citizens, should be law-abiding, not when it suits it but unconditionally…”

    In a statement on Sowore’s arrest, Atiku said: “The treatment of Omoyele Sowore by the IGP Monitoring Team is a shameful abuse of power. It is wrong, unlawful, and must be condemned by all who believe in justice. Sowore’s only offence is speaking out against injustice, nepotism, and misrule.

    “For that, he was reportedly attacked at dawn, beaten, had his arm broken, and sprayed with chemicals by policemen acting on petitions from the IGP’s own office. This is a personal vendetta, not policing. Even the Nigerian Police Regulation forbids this.

    “Regulation 367 states: ‘No police officer shall institute any legal proceeding in his interest or in connection with matters arising out of his public duties.’ The IGP cannot be a complainant and still deploy the force to carry out his grievance.

    “This is not about Sowore alone; it is an attack on every Nigerian who dares to speak truth to power. This must stop. And Sowore should be released immediately, and unconditionally, too.”

  • NLC raises concerns over new industrial relations policy

    NLC raises concerns over new industrial relations policy

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has expressed concerns over the newly adopted  National Industrial Relations Policy by the Federal Government.

     In a statement in Abuja yesterday, NLC President, Joe Ajaero, said the new policy would make embarking on strike a criminal issue and silence trade unions.

     He said the NLC considered the policy to be   aimed at stopping frequent industrial actions, particularly strikes by trade unions, as very reprehensible.

     “The statement was part of the press release by the Federal Government at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, which took place on 31st July 2025.

     “We are in shock that from a catalogue of hundreds of workplace issues contained in the National Industrial Relations Policy, the Federal Government singled out industrial strikes as its headache.”

     Ajaero recalled earlier attempts, during the development of the National Industrial Relations Policy for Nigeria, to insert certain clauses that criminalised strike actions.

     He said the trade unions, employers and the representatives of the Federal Ministry of Labour rejected such insertions as anomalous to the 1999 Constitution and the Trade Unions Act.

     He said the constitution and Trade Union Act  give trade unions the power to withdraw their services in line with the law.

     The NLC President described the fresh insertion into the National Industrial Relations Policy as inferior to the Constitution and Trade Union Act.

     “The right of a worker and trade unions to withdraw their services is fundamental and inalienable.

    Read Also: Buhari put country first, says NLC

     “The NLC and Organised Labour in Nigeria condemn and reject the new law in industrial relations in Nigeria” he reiterated.

     Ajaero assured Nigerian workers that the leadership of the congress and the labour movement remained watchful on their mandate of protecting the rights, interests and hard-won industrial liberties of workers.

     According to him, the rights and interests are guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution, labour laws and  fundamental international labour standards which Nigeria is signatory to.

  • Kaduna workers removed from payroll have not been sacked — NLC

    Kaduna workers removed from payroll have not been sacked — NLC

    …says, affected workers to be paid after screening

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Kaduna State has assured workers recently removed from the state government payroll that they have not been sacked, but only affected by the ongoing staff verification exercise.

    Addressing a press conference on Friday after the State Executive Council meeting, NLC State Chairman, Comrade Ayuba Magaji Suleiman, said the omission of some workers from the July payroll was not a ploy to terminate their appointments but part of the verification process agreed upon by labour and government.

    He said the exercise, which began earlier this year, is being handled by a government-constituted committee in collaboration with the NLC and Trade Union Congress (TUC), with an understanding that savings from the process will be used to implement pending consequential salary adjustments.

    According to him, “We are fully aware that many of our members have not received their salaries due to the verification exercise. But we assure them they have not been disengaged. This is not like previous verifications that left workers devastated. We are part of this process.”

    Read Also: Kaduna police nab 456 suspects, recover guns, cars, stolen goods in July

    He urged affected workers to remain calm and report their issues through proper channels—either through their MDAs or registered unions—adding that a new round of verification will soon be announced by the Head of Service for unresolved cases.

    According to him, the union has already submitted complaints and data of those affected, and all verified workers will be paid their outstanding entitlements, including delayed and current salaries.

    “There are two categories of affected staff: those who have not started the process at all and those who completed the online stage but encountered issues during physical verification. Both groups will be given another opportunity,” he added.

    He disclosed that primary school teachers, pensioners, primary healthcare workers and some local government staff are also among those temporarily dropped from the payroll.

    The Labour leader reminded journalists that the NLC had recommended the verification in the first place, noting that Governor Uba Sani raised concerns after noticing that the state’s monthly wage bill remained unchanged despite retirements and deaths among workers.

    He further assured that this round of verification is more transparent and less physically stressful than past exercises, and that once concluded, all verified staff will receive their full entitlements without delay.

  • Lagos NLC decries demolition of union’s property

    Lagos NLC decries demolition of union’s property

    • Seeks Sanwo-Olu’s intervention

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Lagos Council has lamented the demolition of a workshop affiliated with one of its member unions, Amalgamated Union of Motor Mechanics and Technicians of Nigeria (AUOMMATON) at Otumara Community, Ebute Metta by some government officials.

    The NLC is demanding a return or re-allocation for those affected and a thorough investigation. The union is also calling for compensation for the affected union and its members.

    Speaking at a press conference in Lagos, the Chairman, NLC Lagos Council,Comrade Funmi Sessi, said the union viewed the demolition as an attack on the rights and interests of workers and a violation of labour laws.

     She said the livelihood of those affected had been affected as they have no place to carry out their businesses.

    The land, situated at Otumara Community in Costain Ebute-Metta Lagos, according to Sessi, was allocated and granted to the union(AUOMMATON) for use as mechanic workshops by the late governor Lateef Kayode Jakande on September 21,1980.

    She said: “On 11th February, 2025 the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) served a contravention notice on the Otumara Communities in Lagos Mainland Local Government Area and when they got to the location of our mechanic workshops, we tendered relevant documents to show them that we are not illegal occupants and the place was allocated to us by the Lagos State Government, then the LASBCA personnel moved away and continued posting the notices on other location.

     “However, on the 18th day of February, 2025, the personnel of the Ministry of Physical and Urban Planning came to issue a two-day vacation notice on the Otumara Communities and when they got to our workshops, we showed them our relevant allocation documents issued by the Lagos State Government and they left.

    Read Also: NLC, TUC, others bicker over construction secretariat in Bayelsa

    “Regrettably, on Friday 7th of March 2025, some groups of people (hoodlums) and officers suspected to be Lagos State security personnel and private interest claiming to be acting on the instructions of the Ministry of Physical and Urban Planning came with bulldozers to demolish our workshops but to our surprise these persons were violent and vicious. Our plea to them that our workshops was not part of the places marked for demolition fell on deaf ears and with the help of their security forces, we were chased away with dangerous weapons and our means of livelihood was demolished.

     “We believed that this nefarious act on our government-allocated workshops was done in bad faith as these people hid under the cover of the demolition of the Otumara Communities to carry out these unlawful and satanic acts on our hard earned properties.”

        Sessi, however, called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to intervene as those affected are suffering with their families.

  • NLC raises raises alarm over pension transparency, calls for urgent reforms

    NLC raises raises alarm over pension transparency, calls for urgent reforms

    President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, has raised strong concerns over the federal government’s prolonged delay in reconstituting the board of the National Pension Commission (PenCom), warning that the absence of a governing board undermines transparency and accountability in the management of workers’ retirement savings.

    Speaking to journalists at the Annual General Meeting of TrustFund Pensions Limited in Abuja, Ajaero lamented that for nearly four years, PenCom has operated without a properly constituted board, despite legal provisions mandating representation from both labour and employers.

    “The PenCom board is supposed to have institutional representation from labour and employers, since it is workers’ and employers’ contributions that make up the pension funds. But for years now, that board has not been inaugurated, and yet decisions are being made. That raises questions about accountability,” he said.

    Ajaero also expressed concern over persistent delays in the payment of pension entitlements, noting that many retirees still endure long wait times and unpaid benefits despite contributing faithfully during their working years.

    He further questioned the handling of revenue from workers’ compensation funds, calling for increased transparency and oversight in the use of such social security contributions.

    Touching on broader labour issues, the NLC President emphasized that the economic downturn has eroded the value of both wages and pensions, worsening the welfare of Nigerian workers.

    “Whether it is N70,000 or more, workers’ pay cannot go far in an environment where fuel prices, electricity tariffs, and inflation keep rising. The Federal Government needs to renew it’s efforts to stabilise the economy and restore the value of the naira.

    Read Also: NLC, TUC, others bicker over construction secretariat in Bayelsa

    Also speaking at the event, the Managing Director/CEO of TrustFund Pensions, Mr. Uche Ihechere, disclosed that the company grew its assets under management by 20 percent in 2024 and recorded a 34 percent increase in profit before tax. 

    He described the growth as a result of efficient management and strategic investment decisions.

    Ihechere welcomed the Federal Government’s proposal to issue a N700 billion bond to clear pension arrears, describing it as a timely intervention and a sign of commitment to retirees’ welfare. 

    He, however, noted that inflation continues to impact real returns in the pension industry, and called for the development of viable infrastructure-based investment opportunities that can offer higher yields.

    Other stakeholders at the event stressed the need for urgent reforms to strengthen regulatory oversight, improve payment systems, and ensure that contributors and retirees receive the benefits due to them without delay.

  • NLC to take stand on Moghalu’s recognition as Anambra LP candidate

    NLC to take stand on Moghalu’s recognition as Anambra LP candidate

    • Party awaits INEC’s position on chairmanship struggle
    • Abure-led faction threatens to expel Ogene, initiates lawmaker’s recall
    • ‘Embattled party chief fighting hard to shift attention from issues’

    The Nigeria Labour Congress Political Commission (NLCPC) yesterday said it was awaiting the position of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the chairmanship tussle in the Labour Party (LP).

    The commission’s Acting Chairman, Prof. Theophilus Ndubaku, announced this while speaking with The Nation yesterday.

    Ndubaku said INEC’s decision would inform the next move by the political commission.

    He also said the commission had not received the details on INEC’s recognition of George Moghalu as LP’s candidate in the November 8 Anambra State governorship election.

    INEC listed Moghalu among the 16 candidates for the governorship election. This elicited excitement from the Julius Abure-led faction, which conducted the primary that fielded Moghalu as LP’s candidate.

    The caretaker committee set up by Abia State Governor Alex Otti and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi had held parallel primaries where a member of the House of Assembly representing Onitsha South II Constituency, Jude Umenajiego, became the governorship candidate.

    Ndubaku said: “As law-abiding citizens, we are waiting for the decision of the INEC. After the Supreme Court judgment, we wrote to INEC and the commission informed us that it was studying the judgment.

    “So, we are waiting for them. We don’t want to take laws into our hands. It is part of the reason we have not held our NEC meeting.”

    Commenting on the recognition of Moghalu as the candidate of LP, he said: “We have not seen the details yet.”

    The Abure-led National Working Committee (NWC) continues to lay claim to the chairmanship of the party, despite a Supreme Court ruling.

    Read Also: NLC, TUC pass vote of confidence on Gov Eno

    The faction insisted that the judgment did not invalidate the position of Abure as the party’s national chairman.

    This has irked some chieftains of the party, including Otti and the NLC leadership, among other members.

    The Abure faction yesterday called for the probe of the suspended Leader of the LP Caucus in the House of Representatives, Victor Afam Ogene, for allegedly parading a fake document.

    In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, the party also threatened to expel the lawmaker and initiate his recall for his misplaced priority and poor performance as a lawmaker elected on LP’s platform.

    It threatened to seek legal action against Ogene for allegedly withholding and enriching himself from monetary contributions from Labour Party lawmakers to the party leadership.

    According to the statement, Ogene had attempted to “cyber-bully the AG, the police, and the leadership of the Labour Party in what is clearly a political matter”.

    But Ogene accused Abure of fighting hard to shift attention from the substantive issues against him.

    The embattled lawmaker dismissed allegations of non-performance leveled against him by Ifoh, saying it was up to his constituents to decide on the matter.

  • Plan for your retirement, NLC tells workers

    Plan for your retirement, NLC tells workers

    • Govt pledges commitment to retirees welfare

    The Nigeria Labour Congress has charged workers to plan for their retirement rather than wait for the government.

    The congress lamented the sufferings many retirees go through due to unplanned retirement and lack of social safety net to enable them adjust to a new phase of life.

    President of NLC, Joe Ajaero gave the charge during the 2nd national pre-retirement summit in Abuja.

    “There is a need for everyone of us to think of the next phase of life,” Ajaero said.

    The NLC president lamented the absence of a proper transitional arrangement for retiring workers.

    He said that retirement for a Nigerian worker has continued to pose a nightmare because of sufferings and uncertainties associated with it.

    Read Also: Eight degrees that can land you a high-paying UK job

    Ajaero said that Nigeria has been tinkering with the issue of new reform and old pension scheme but none of them has brought needed relief to the workers.

    Apart from the absence of a proper transitional arrangement for retiring workers, Ajaero said the country doesn’t have any social security initiative or safety net targeted at retirees and the senior citizens.

    He said: “Once you mention retirement, people think they will be retired to the dustbin of history. The way we retire in this country without a transitional arrangement makes it worse, next one month after retirement, things begin to get bad for the worker.”

    The NLC president suggested the setting aside of one year for a transitional programme leading to the eventual retirement of a worker to enable him prepare adequately for the final exit from active service.

    Ajaero said that organised labour is also pushing for a policy review to grant retirees access to at least 50 percent of their contributory pension a year or two before proceeding on retirement for them to make investments.

    The Federal Government said it was committed to safeguarding the dignity and well-being of retired Nigerian workers.

    The government said that while a number of policy reforms have been implemented to address challenges affecting workers during retirement, it assured that the present administration was pursuing other initiatives meant to improve the lives of pensioners.

    Secretary to Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, said that the government was determined to make the life of pensioners more comfortable.

    Akume, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in his office, Nnamdi Mbaeri, said that retirement should not signify an end but rather a transition into a phase, rich with possibilities.

    He lamented that a retirement which was once viewed as a time of rest and reflection, “has now become a period marked by uncertainty, vulnerability and at times, distress for many in Nigeria and across the ECOWAS region.”

    He said: “Many retirees face challenges such as financial instability, health concerns and a lack of direction post-retirement.

    “The federal government remains deeply committed to initiatives that safeguard the dignity and well-being of our senior citizens. Through policy frameworks, institutional partnerships, targeted interventions, we will continue to support efforts that ensure every Nigerian retires with confidence, dignity and opportunities.”

    The SGF urged workers and participants to use the opportunity offered by the summit to collaborate, learn and pave the way for a future where retirement is not feared but embraced with enthusiasm.

    Earlier, Convener of the Summit and Chief Executive Officer of Xem Consultants Limited, Eugenia Ndukwe, said the aim was to empower would-be retirees, “with the knowledge to effectively manage his finances, embrace entrepreneurial ventures and to reimagine retirement not as an end but as a vibrant new beginning.”

    She said the group was motivated to embark on the sensitisation initiative due the fact that most people approaching retirement are not adequately prepared.

    “This summit was born out of sincere commitment to change that narrative,” she said.

  • Plan for your retirement, NLC tells workers

    Plan for your retirement, NLC tells workers

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has charged workers to plan for their retirement rather than wait for the government.

    The Congress lamented the sufferings many  go through due to unplanned retirement and lack of social safety net to enable them adjust to a new phase of life.

    President of NLC, Joe Ajaero gave the charge during the 2nd national pre-retirement summit in Abuja.

    “There is a need for everyone of us to think of the next phase of life,” , Ajaero said.

    The NLC president lamented the absence of a proper transitional arrangement for retiring workers.

    He said that retirement for a Nigerian worker has continued to pose a nightmare because of sufferings and uncertainties associated with it.

    Read Also: Akume urges religious leaders to champion national unity

    Ajaero said that Nigeria has been tinkering with the issue of new reform and old pension scheme but none of them has brought needed relief to the workers.

    Apart from the absence of a proper transitional arrangement for retiring workers, Ajaero said the country doesn’t have any social security initiative or safety net targeted at retirees and the senior citizens.

    He said: “Once you mention retirement, people think they will be retired to the dustbin of history. The way we retire in this country without a transitional arrangement makes it worse, next one month after retirement, things begin to get bad for the worker.”

    The NLC president suggested the setting aside of one year for a transitional programme leading to the eventual retirement of a worker to enable him prepare adequately for the final exit from active service.

    Ajaero said that organised labour is also pushing for a policy review to grant retirees access to at least 50 percent of their contributory pension a year or two before proceeding on retirement for them to make investments.

    The Federal Government said it was committed to safeguarding the dignity and well-being of retired Nigerian workers.

    The government said that while a number of policy reforms have been implemented to address challenges affecting workers during retirement, it assured that the present administration was pursuing other initiatives meant to improve the lives of pensioners.

    Secretary to Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, said that the government was determined to make the life of pensioners more comfortable.

    Akume, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in his office, Nnamdi Mbaeri, said that retirement should not signify an end but rather a transition into a phase, rich with possibilities.

    He lamented that a retirement which was once viewed as a time of rest and reflection, “has now become a period marked by uncertainty, vulnerability and at times, distress for many in Nigeria and across the ECOWAS region.”

    He said: “Many retirees face challenges such as financial instability, health concerns and a lack of direction post-retirement.

    “The federal government remains deeply committed to initiatives that safeguard the dignity and well-being of our senior citizens. Through policy frameworks, institutional partnerships, targeted interventions, we will continue to support efforts that ensure every Nigerian retires with confidence, dignity and opportunities.”

    The SGF urged workers and participants to use the opportunity offered by the summit to collaborate, learn and pave the way for a future where retirement is not feared but embraced with enthusiasm.

    Convener of the Summit and Chief Executive Officer of Xem Consultants Limited, Eugenia Ndukwe, said the aim was to empower would-be retirees, “with the knowledge to effectively manage his finances, embrace entrepreneurial ventures and to reimagine retirement not as an end but as a vibrant new beginning.”

    She said the group was motivated to embark on the sensitisation initiative due the fact that most people approaching retirement are not adequately prepared.

    “This summit was born out of sincere commitment to change that narrative,” she said.

  • Adamawa civil service overstretched, ill-equipped, says NLC

    Adamawa civil service overstretched, ill-equipped, says NLC

    The Adamawa State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) stated that the state civil service is overstretched and inadequately equipped.

    The state NLC Chairman, Emmanuel Fashe, raised this concern on Thursday at the Mahmud Ribadu Square in Yola, during this year’s Labour Day celebrations, urging the government to expedite necessary actions to address the issue.

    He advocated for an adequate workforce with the necessary tools to provide high-quality service, while also commending Governor Ahmadu Fintiri for the timely payment of salaries to the available workers.

    The Nation reports that the NLC Chairman addressed these concerns at a time when the Adamawa State Civil Service Commission is in the process of recruiting additional personnel.

    The Commission opened a portal to facilitate this at the start of the week, specifically on Monday, April 28, 2025.

    Read Also: Ibas, NLC resolve key labour issues in Rivers

    The state Deputy Governor, Professor Kaletapwa Farauta, who represented the governor at the May Day celebration, highlighted the recruitment initiative, noting that further measures would be implemented to motivate the civil service.

    “We are mindful of the depletion of the civil service as a result of the massive retirement of workers who have reached the time for retirement. Consequently, the government has lifted the embargo on employment and the state Service Commission has opened a portal to recruit qualified graduates to fill the critical vacancies,” she said.

  • May Day: Osun labour union splits over NLC’s endorsement of Adeleke for second term

    May Day: Osun labour union splits over NLC’s endorsement of Adeleke for second term

    The 2025 Workers’ Day celebration in Osun State was marred by division within the labour movement, as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and a faction of local government workers held parallel events on Thursday, sparked by the endorsement of Governor Ademola Adeleke for a second term.

    The NLC, led by Comrade Chris Arapasopo, hosted its Workers’ Day rally at Fakunle Unity School, near the Osogbo Township Stadium, where Governor Adeleke was publicly endorsed for re-election. The endorsement was a major highlight of the celebration, which had been scheduled specifically for May 1st to coincide with the annual Labour Day.

    However, in a show of dissent, another group, operating under the banner of The Concerned Association of Local Government Workers—a faction of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE)—held a separate May Day celebration in Olorunda Local Government Area, also in Osogbo.

    Speaking to members of the dissident faction, Comrade Adedayo Adekunle criticised the NLC’s action, accusing its leadership of partisanship.

    Read Also: 2026: Adeleke not leaving PDP for APC, says forum of Osun commissioners, SAs

    “If you are a union leader, you are supposed to be neutral,” he said. “Even the politicians have not declared their candidate for a second term, but civil servants went ahead and did so. The money given to them is working—they are collecting something on our behalf. Their paymaster is now dictating for them.”

    The split highlights growing tensions within the labour movement in Osun State, as debates continue over the role of unions in political endorsements and the autonomy of workers’ organisations.

    “We don’t belong to any political party, we should only support any party that represents the interests of our people.

    “To us as a unionist, it is a very big opportunity for us to make a case for better things for our people. When there is competition, there will be better things for our people.”