The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), in Ebonyi has suspended its Chairman, Mr Ikechukwu Nwafor, indefinitely “for gross misconduct and financial misappropriation.’’
The 2nd Vice Chairman of the congress, Mr Leonard Nkah, was named Acting Chairman.
These decisions were reached at the end of its State Executive Council (SEC), meeting held in Abakaliki on Wednesday.
The communiqué was signed by the meeting’s Presiding Officer and First Vice Chairman, Mr Abel Ngwuta and Acting State Secretary, Mr Chukwuma Onwe.
According to the communiqué, Nwafor was suspended for failure to account for all the monthly stipends and subventions received on behalf of the congress from the State Government and other sources.
“He failed to account for all the monies received in respect of Democracy Day, Independence Anniversary and Workers Day celebrations, among others.
“He failed to account for all the monies received in respect of Ezillo Peace Tree Planting and failure to account for the proceeds to NLC from the government’s donation of four commuter/mass transit buses with additional N2million.” They said.
They added that Nwafor openly informed the governor that the motion, which directed public servants to embark on strike over the N18,000, was moved by Nkah, Chairman of the State branch of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE).
“This was intended to make Nkah a sacrificial lamb/scapegoat instead of owning up to the collective decision of the entire SEC of the congress.
“He also tried, though unsuccessfully, to poison the mind of the State Head of Service (HOS) not to recognize the leadership of the Public Service Negotiating Council (SJPSNC), Trade Union Side (TUS) under the pretext that he was not invited to the council’s election that produced them.
“He used his privileged office to witch-hunt and oppress leaders of industrial unions such as NULGE, Nigerian Union of Teachers, National Union of Road Transport Workers, among others despite being stakeholders and leaders of their respective affiliate unions’’, they added.”
The SEC in the communiqué said “Nwafor ceases to represent the congress as chairman while he faces full investigations.
“He is hereby directed to surrender all congress properties and monies in his possession to the acting chairman within seven days.”
Nwafor told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), that he was studying the situation and would respond soon.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has asked the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to shelve its plan to compel vehicle end users to pay duties on such vehicles or face prosecution.
It said the policy was unrealistic and aimed at inflicting further hardship on the citizenry.
In a letter to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd), dated March 7, NLC President Comrade Ayuba Wabba said while the congress supports the Customs in its efforts to carry out its responsibilities, it opposed the new policy because it was logistically-callous and aimed at creating unimaginable chaos as well as suffering for innocent vehicle end-users.
Wabba said it was common knowledge that duties on imported vehicles were payable at the point of entry, noting that subjecting vehicle end-users to this kind of trauma, majority of whom have no hand in the importation of their vehicles, was unfair and unacceptable.
According to him, porous borders being claimed by the Customs was not a justification for the proposed policy action.
It added that since the policy has received condemnation from all sectors of the economy, the Customs should devise a coherent response to deal with these challenges.
The letter said: “We strongly hold the view that those who break the law or seek to break the law should be sanctioned to serve as a deterrent to others.
“The need to enforce tax laws in our country is all the more necessary because of social justice and other dwindling revenue sources. Our support for the Nigerian Customs Service is, therefore, not in doubt. If anything, the Customs should be encouraged to do their work well.
“However, we are opposed to this new policy for the afforested reasons: It is logistically-callous and will create unimaginable chaos and suffering for innocent vehicle end-users.
“It is self-serving and will in the end enrich unscrupulous Customs personnel, who contributed in no small to the present situation through acts of commission or omission. It will amount to rewarding their complicity.
“It is common knowledge that duties on imported vehicles are payable at the point of entry. Subjecting vehicle end-users to this kind of trauma majority of whom have no hand in the importation of their vehicles is unfair and unacceptable.”
It added: “There is no information on the vehicles to be excluded from this exercise. This presupposes that the owner of a Morris Minor or a Peugeot 404 brought into this country in the 70’s is similarly affected.
“Beyond this, a state of mental siege is being created by all manner of endless verification and re-certification exercises in the country. It is thus morally wrong to inflict on the citizenry this kind of discomfort.
“In view of the aforestated reasons, we strongly advise that the Nigeria Customs Service shelve this plan. Lessons ought to have been learnt from the violent outcome of the brutal raids of Ota market and the ambushing and extorting of money from vehicle-owners on the highway at Yuletide seasons.” Porous borders, Wabba said, were no justification for proposed policy action.
“Accordingly, in place of this unpopular policy which has received condemnation from all sectors of the economy, the Nigeria Customs Service should devise a coherent response that will deal with these challenges.
“Such a response, we believe, should focus on capacity-building, modernisation of operations, use of technology, massive corruption in the system and inspiration/incentivisation of officers and men for them to deliver on their mandate as well as meet annual targets,” the NLC President said.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) have asked the Ebonyi State Governorment to stop violating the amended Pension Reform Act, 2004.
The groups said in a statement signed by their presidents, Ayuba Wabba and Boboi Bala Kaigama, that the government’s abuse of the pension law was made known to them by their councils in Ebonyi.
They said the government has started pension deductions from its workers’ salaries long before it passed its pension law. They also alleged that the operating pension law is in contravention of the contributory ratio in the national pension law which mandates the employer to contribute a minimum of 10 per cent, and employees eight per cent to the contributory pension account.
According to them, Ebonyi made its percentage contributions five per cent for the employer, and eight per cent for the employees.
The state, the two labour groups claimed, commenced the implementation of the new law without first putting in place requisite processes or structures, such as adequate sensitisation on the rights of the workers in the scheme by it and the National Pension Commission (PenCom).
They alleged that none of the recommendations made by workers during the public hearing by the House of Assembly on the bill were included in the law.
They indicated their willingness to meet with Umahi to find a solution to the issues which they said was troubling.
“The pension issue is among the other violations (the majority of which are labour issues as captured by Conventions 87 and 98 to which Nigeria is a signatory) the state council has brought to our attention.
“In consideration of the seriousness of the facts, the leadership of the NLC and TUC will be honoured by a meeting with Your Excellency on March 14, 2017 or on a date more convenient to you to resolve all outstanding issues,” the statement said.
They added that in implementing the law, the views of workers should be sought as against making laws intended to subjugate them.
“The views of workers should be taken seriously, especially on this matter. Happily, PenCom has developed a model or template for the states. Indeed, most of them that have keyed into the contributory scheme have improved on the basic provisions in the template.
THE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said yesterday workers were running out of patience with the Federal Government over delay in negotiation of a new minimum wage.
It said the workers could not wait indefinitely for government to respond at its own time.
Speaking at the Fourth NLC National Gender Conference in Abuja, NLC President Comrade Ayuba Wabba said workers were getting tired of government’s delay tactics in constituting a tripartite committee to negotiate a new minimum wage.
He asked the government to act immediately
Wabba said the although wage was due for renegotiation after five years, the Buhari administration was dragging its feet in constituting a tripartite committee as is the practice to negotiate a new minimum wage.
He said “against the background of the harsh economic times and the impact on the working people, we cannot wait indefinitely for government to respond at its own time”.
“Though, we have been told by the administration that the panel will be constituted, we enjoined the government to urgently sort out whatever is the constraint it is facing and act on the matter before we are forced to take actions that may be unpleasant,” he said.
According to Wabba, “it is no longer news that our country is in a severe recession and prices of virtually all consumable and non-consumable items have skyrocket. In the last 12 or more months, the inflationary trend in the economy has gone over the roof, and the mass of our people, the salaried and the teeming millions of the unemployed, are facing very difficult times.
“Amid these difficulties, we have contended with a number of state governments that have misplaced priorities and have regularly refused to pay workers in the state pay roll, their salaries as at when due.
Wabba stressed the congress’ commitment in promoting gender equity and gender participation in the affairs of trade unions in the country.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said on Wednesday that it was running out of patience with the government over the issue of new minimum wage for Nigerian workers, saying cannot wait indefinitely for the government to respond at its own time.
Speaking at the 4th NLC National Gender Conference in Abuja, President of the Congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba said Nigerian workers were getting tired of government’s delay tactics in constituting a tripartite committee to negotiate a new minimum wage for the country and ask the government to act immediately.
Wabba said that despite the fact that the minimum wage was due for renegotiation after 5 years, the Buhari administration was dragging its feet in constituting a tripartite committee as is the practice to negotiate a new minimum wage.
He said further that “against the background of the harsh economic times and the impact on the working people, we cannot wait indefinitely for the government to respond at its own time. Though we have been told by the administration that the panel will be constituted, we enjoined the government to urgently sort out whatever is the constraint it is facing and act on the matter before we are forced to take actions that may be unpleasant.”
According to him, “It is no longer news that our Country is in a severe recession, and prices of virtually all consumable and non-consumable items have skyrocketed. In the last twelve or more months, the inflationary trend in the economy has gone over the roof, and the mass of our people, the salaried and the teeming millions of the unemployed, are facing very difficult times.
Wabba
“Amidst these difficulties, we have contended with a number of state governments that have misplaced priorities and have regularly refused to pay workers in the State payroll, their salaries as at when due. “Similarly pension, of retired public servants have gone for several months, and in some cases, years unpaid. We have over the last 15 months fought these State governments to pay up these outstanding wages and pension liabilities they owe workers. We will continue to do this till all salaries and pensions across the country are fully paid up.”
Wabba stressed the commitment of the Congress to promoting gender equity and gender participation in the affairs of trade unions in the country.He said: “the Congress has over the past three decades worked to promote women participation and involvement in the affairs of the trade union movement, in industrial unions and State Councils of the NLC nationwide.
He said: “The Congress has over the past three decades worked to promote women participation and involvement in the affairs of the trade union movement, in industrial unions and State Councils of the NLC nationwide.
“Against the background of the male-dominated nature of our society and the trade union movement, gender issues are still challenging issues within our movement; women workers are still very much disadvantaged within our organisations. In the world of work, where both men and women are in employment, the chances are that women still suffer more discrimination than their male counterparts.
“From a position where we used to have an almost all-male executive in most of our unions, the NLC gender equity policy has enabled the Congress and virtually all of its affiliates to have increased women representation at the level of leadership in all their structures.
“To ensure that these changes are sustainable, the NLC constitution and that of affiliate unions were amended to ensure the inclusion of women representations at leadership levels.
“At the NLC level, not only is the Chairperson of the National Women Commission now automatically a vice president of the NLC, in the 2007 delegates Conference of the Congress, two ex-officio positions were created at the level of National Administrative Council (NAC) of NLC, to be occupied by women.
“As a trade union movement, we need to intensify our struggle for gender justice and gender equality and link it up to building our organisations. We have to advocate and ensure that our government enforces better gender policies, health care and increase access to services to women as well as making the workplace women friendly.
“We must deliberately support women leaders to build their capacity to meet up with the challenges of unions and the complexity in the world of work. We need to train women leaders on issues of the economic and policy debates, collective agreements and legislation, especially those that affect women. We need to strengthen the National Women Commission to contribute and engage in the issues affecting women generally and national development.”
Wabba stressed that in recent times, a lot of progress has been made in protecting and promoting women’s right, adding that according to UN statistics, a majority of the 1.3 billion who are absolute poor in the world are women.
He said further that over the years, the International Women’s Day has been recognised as a time to reflect on the progress made on women advancement, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities.
The NLC, he said is committed to working with the Nigerian government in the spirit of achieving the SDG goals of ending poverty, promoting inclusive and reducing inequality and achieving gender equality and empowerment of women and girls.
Chairperson of the NLC Women Commission, Comrade Offiong said the conference was aimed at gender mainstreaming in the Trade Unions; assess the level of implementation of the NLC Gender Equity Policy in the affiliate Unions; Identify and map out strategies for tackling the challenges facing women in the workplaces & Trade Unions; strategize on approaches and techniques of strengthening women participation in the Trade Unions and elect a new leadership for the NLC National Women Commission.
She said even though the millennium has witnessed a significant change and attitudinal shift in both women’s and society’s thoughts about gender equality and women emancipation, women still suffer from gender discrimination, stereotypes and abuses and call on the NLC and Affiliate unions to continue to be the voice of change for women not only in the trade unions but the larger society.
She expressed concern over the safety of the girl child and women generally which she said has became of a major concern to all especially the working women who due to circumstance of their working life are forced to leave the care of their children to other persons, while the children become victims of rape and all forms of abuses.
She, however, want employers of labour in the country to as a matter of urgency and in the spirit of corporate social responsibility, set-up child-care facilities in and around workplaces to safeguard these innocent and vulnerable children while their mothers are engaged in their legitimate employment.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged the Federal Government not to seek solution to the recession from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
It warned against resorting to other external institutions for help, arguing that the solutions to the challenges could be found in this country.
During the National Delegate Conference of the National Union of Civil Engineering Construction, Furniture and Wood Workers (NUCECFFWW), its President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said for the country to be restored to growth path, the government should design policies that would bring back industries, create jobs, revive electricity and revalue the currency.
He emphasised the need for the government to encourage the growth of the informal sector, resume local production of petroleum products, develop solid minerals and tourism, among others.
“We do not need any lecturing from the IMF or any external institutions to do this. We have vibrant and experienced experts that can develop policies on these. Indeed, the government should, as a matter of urgency, convene a conference on the economy or assemble an all-inclusive team to develop an economic recovery framework that is people driven and people focused,” he said.
He argued that the recession was not only a result of corruption but the continued adoption of policies imposed by neo-liberal institutions against the wishes of Nigerians.
Wabba appealed to federal and state governments to save the construction industry from collapse by paying the debts owed contractors.
He said the construction industry was inactive because of the refusal or inability of governments to pay for jobs done and mobilise contractors for new jobs.
“In view of the considerable harm and pain this has brought upon everybody in the chain, especially workers, I would want to use this opportunity to call on federal and state governments to without further delay, pay their debts to both local and international contractors. I have no doubt this will stimulate the economy in no small measure,” he said.
Wabba called on members of the union to continue to support the leadership of the union, saying that without their support, the leadership would not be able to contribute effectively to the promotion and defence of workers’ rights as well as the advancement of good governance.
“Do not allow yourselves to be distracted by those who seek to weaken us by attempting to divide our ranks. Be focused and remain committed to the struggle we know! I urge you to continue to remain faithful to the historical tasks that your union is known for by way of actively participating in action/activities that will ensure positive change; people driven governance and national progress,” Wabba added.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has asked the South African government to go beyond mere condemnation of recent xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other foreign nationals and take immediate steps to prosecute and sanction individuals and groups responsible for the attacks.
In a statement signed by its president, Ayuba Wabba and made available to journalists in Abuja, the NLC described as mindless, the attacks on foreigners and their businesses in the former apartheid enclave.
•Wahab
The body blamed the government for not doing enough to ease the frustration of the people.
Wabba said the contribution of Nigerians and other Africans towards the defeat of apartheid was informed by the logic of defending civil liberties of all people, creed and race.
[quote font=”times” font_size=”18″ font_style=”italic” color=”#f4f4f4″ bgcolor=”#3c6060″ bcolor=”#dd3333″ arrow=”yes”]He reminded the South African government that it was the duty of all Africans to stand up and oppose injustice of racial minority that marginalised and mindlessly abuses the South African black majority.[/quote]
The statement reads: “We never saw it as a debt that a liberated South Africa should pay back to the rest of us. Rather, it was a duty for us to stand against injustice anywhere and anytime.
“The Nigeria Labour Congress affirms that the recent February 2017 xenophobic attacklike previous ones (in 2008 and 2015) are yet another unacceptable and avoidable development. We totally condemn it and call on the South African government to move without further delay to take actions to prevent another occurrence.
“People, especially migrants, refugees and asylum seekers all over the world are and should be welcomed and not made targets of conscienceless attacks. For Africa and South Africa, the pursuit of togetherness, care, warm reception towards and hospitality to others are some of the enduring attributes and the essence of the Ubuntu spirit. It is unacceptable that foreigners, migrants, refugees and asylum seekers are labelled criminals as a justification to subject them to extra-judicial actions.
“NLC considers the South African government’s condemnation of these recent xenophobic attacks as a positive action. We, however, call on the government to go beyond condemnation to investigate, prosecute and sanction persons, groups or individuals that might have played any role in these mindless attacks on foreigners.
“A conscious approach to accountability will send a firm signal to other potential xenophobes and xenophobia instigators and participators of the consequences that await perpetrators.”
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said on Thursday urged the Federal Government to take urgent and bold decisions that will move the country out of the current economic recession.
Such decisions, according to the NLC, include designing of people-oriented policies.
Speaking at the 5th Quadrennial National Delegates Conference of the National Union of Civil Engineering, Construction, Furniture and Wood Workers, president of the NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said no import dependent nation easily survive recession except when they take bold and conscious decisions.
He said for the nation to get out of the current recession, the government must design policies that will bring back industries, create productive jobs, revive public electricity, revalue the naira, encourage the growth of informal economy, resume local production of petroleum products and develop solid minerals and tourism, among other resources of global economic values.
Wabba said “We do not need any lecturing from the IMF or any external institutions to do this. We have vibrant and experienced experts that can develop policies on these. Indeed, government should as a matter of urgency, convene a conference on the economy or assemble an all-inclusive team to develop an economic recovery framework that is people driven and people focused.”
He added that the ongoing economic recession is not only a resultant effect of corruption, but the continued adoption of policies imposed by neo liberal institutions against the collective interests and wellbeing of the Nigerian people.
The NLC chief added: “There can never be any external institution or country that will better develop policies that will serve the interests of our people and country than ourselves.
“Happily, Nigeria is not in shortage of development experts that can fashion out profound, totally home grown development policies to move the country forward, if our leaders have the desired political will to call the bluff of over-bearing neo liberal institutions.
“Our economy seems to have gone into a tailspin with the crash of the Naira and with the Central Bank appearing unable to offer a sustainable solution. The truth of the matter is that we are an import-dependent economy and no import dependent economy easily survives recession except they take bold and conscious decisions. I urge our leaders to take those decisions today so that history will absolve them of complicity.”
The controversy over the new contributory law recently signed into law by Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi state worsened Tuesday as a new group known as Junior Workers Association split from the state chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC)
This followed the rejection of the law for not following due process by NLC and the alleged deduction from workers’ salaries by the state government for the contributory pension.
The faction at a briefing in Abakaliki, the state capital, denounced the NLC leadership in the state headed by Comrade Ikechukwu Nwafor.
The Chairman of the new group, Uguru Uchenna while reading a communiqué issued at the end of their emergency meeting accused the NLC leadership of pursuing personal interest as against the overall interests of the union.
Uguru noted that Ebonyi workers have been properly taken care of under Governor David Umahi, adding that the contributory pension law which the state government recently put in place was for the welfare of the workers.
“We are in full support of the agricultural programme of the state government and are happy to participate in the programme taking advantage of soft loan provided by the state governor to embark on rice cultivation and other agricultural programmes.
“We are delighted and grateful to the governor for the increment of 5 percent in workers’ salary and pledge our unalloyed support to the
effort of the state governor to strengthen the pensions of workers of Ebonyi state”
Uguru further accused the leadership of NLC of playing politics with the welfare of workers in the state.
“We completely dissociate ourselves from the desperation of some so called Labour leaders in the state parading their own personal agenda, a development that can cause breach of peace in the state”
He said it was grossly uncharitable to claim that workers of Ebonyi state are enslaved whereas, they are among the few that get their monthly salaries on or before 18th of each month and without arrears.
“That we invite workers to ignore the desperate moves by some misinformed Labour leaders in the state to create an atmosphere of chaos and bad image to the dignity of labour unionism in the state and ‘affirm our total support to Governor Umahi and call on all workers in the state to remain calm because the state government meant well”
The state Chairman of Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Ikechukwu Nwafor could not be reached for comment as his mobile phone was switched off.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has warned that applying the ‘no work no pay’ policy to resolve industrial disagreement will be counter-productive.
Its General Secretary, Dr Peter Ozo-Eson, said the pronouncement by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige on the application of the law, especially where workers issue warning strikes, is antithetical to stemming industrial crises.
Ngige said warning strikes were unknown to labour laws and that workers who embarked on them would forfeit their pay during such strikes.
Ozo-Eson said: “We are taken aback by the claims of the minister. Accordingly, we find it necessary to state that whether warning strike is in the corpus of the labour laws or not, unions over the years across all climes use warning strike as a bargaining chip to bring employers to the negotiation table. In other words, it is a tradition that has acquired the force of law.”
Ozo-Eson insisted that the efficacy of a warning strike could not be in doubt as it is the reason the minister is now negotiating with the representatives of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP).
“In the annals of labour history, warning strikes have had the distinguishing feature of saving the parties to disputes the rigours, costs and pains of full-blown strikes. This, the minister, a cerebral mind, a former union leader, very well knows,” he said.
The NLC scribe wondered why the minister would be canvassing a position that is extreme and intolerant of further dialogue, which is the mainstay of labour/government relations.
He said labour found it necessary to caution that a hasty resort to legalese as a basis for conflict resolution would not be helpful.
Ozo-Eson said the truth was that if strikes were guaranteed by the law, labour hadfailed to see how warning strikes could be illegal, adding that the NLC does not intend to resort to partisanship, but quite often, an interpretation of the law falls short of its intention.
He insisted that warning strikes would continue to be part of labour’s engagement with all employers, including government, when necessary “and we believe we are deserving of commendation for this thoughtfulness/discretion and not vilification”.
