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Tag: NLC

  • NLC restates commitment to negotiating minimum wage

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has reaffirmed its commitment to negotiating a new minimum wage with the Federal Government despite the  country’s economic crisis.

    Speaking with The Nation, a factional President of the Congress,  Comrade Joe Ajaero, said it would not accept the blackmail of economic crisis to continue labour abuses through denial of basic rights.

    According to him, when the N18,000 minimum wage was approved, it was agreed that it would be reviewed after five years, adding that it is over five years after the introduction of the N18,000 minimum wage, and workers are yet to have their salaries reviewed.

    “Government should not deny workers their basic rights and privileges as entrenched in the agreement with labour,” Comrade Ajaero said.

    He implored relevant government agencies and state governments not to delay or deny immediate negotiation of a new minimum wage.

    He tasked National Assembly to bring an end to its lingering leadership tussle and concentrate on working with President Muhammadu  Buhari in tackling national issues for a better Nigeria.

    He said one of the best services the Nigerian lawmakers could offer Nigeria was to close ranks and cooperate with the President in ensuring that the financial bailouts availed some salary-owing state governors are judiciously used for paying workers salaries while other national issues are addressed.

    “Our lawmakers, by now are supposed to see the national issues confronting the nation as more important than any other thing. Nigerians are waiting for the change promised during the electioneering campaign.

    “Now that the politicians have been voted in, they should get to work to strengthen our internal democracy and achieve for all, a better Nigeria through legislations that will bring about constant electricity generation and distribution; employment generation; improved primary, secondary and tertiary education; healthcare; security, legislating against corruption; entrenching industrialisation and reforms in the oil and gas industry; among several others,” Ajaero said.

    The lawmakers, he said, should join forces with President Buhari in recovering stolen commonwealth of over 150 billion dollars stacked away in foreign banks by past governors, ministers, and other government functionaries.

    “We need not search further for any other reason for the perennial decay in the country and the sorry state of critical infrastructure. Our anti-corruption agencies must be repositioned and our justice system must be critically reviewed while international support is also sought to bring an end to corruption in Nigeria.

    “All the outrageous remuneration structure for the Senators and members of the House of Representatives and the profligacy of state governors must stop if we want to be reckoned with as a serious entity among the comity of nations,” Ajaero added.

    He also challenged the lawmakers to address the issue of income inequality and poverty among Nigerian workers so as to put in proper perspectives the intricate connection between income, consumption and production.

  • NLC rejects Egwu committee’s report on salary structure

    The Organised Labour in Ebonyi State has rejected the recommendations of a special salary committee set up to look into the impasse between labour and the state government on salary structure.

    The Nigerian Labour Congress Chairman in the State, Comrade Ike Nwafor, made the position of labour known after the committee presented its report to the state governor, Dave Umahi.

    He said the workers will utilize all apparatus in its arsenal including strike action to protest any deviation from the present salary structure which was implemented by former governor Martin Elechi.

    Presenting the report to Governor Umahi at the government House in Abakaliki, the Chairman of the committee and member representing Ebonyi North Senatorial zone in the Senate, Dr. Sam Egwu, said the committee met severally and interacted with both the government and labour representatives and received submissions from both parties.

    He said the committee noticed discrepancies in salaries tabled as both government and labour paraded different charts.

    ‘’The committee noticed too, the reality of low Federal Allocation due to the fallen cost of oil in the world market and the state also has poor Internally Generated Revenue.

    ‘’Unfortunately, the present Federal Allocation to local governments is too poor that it cannot pay the salaries of the local government workers now.

    ‘’The committee also observed the economic situation of the society now amidst inflation where naira is depreciating on daily basis,” Egwu stated.

     

  • Leadership crisis: Battle-weary NLC seeks out-of-court settlement

    There is a glimmer of hope that the leadership crisis rocking the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) will soon end. TOBA AGBOOLA writes that besides the judicial intervention being sought at the National Industrial Court (NIC), the two camps battling for the leadership have indicated interest to embrace a peaceful resolution. 

    Crisis-weary Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) factions may soon close ranks. Embroiled in what many call “an avoidable rift”, the workers’ umbrella union has, in the past four months, operated at cross-purposes under factional leaderships.

    The division in 23 of the 36 affiliated unions in the organised labour was triggered   by sundry issues, including alleged corruption and electoral malpractices.

    The botched election of March 12 that threw up Ayuba Wabba and Joe Ajaero as factional presidents left the local chapters of the NLC in many states confused as to who the authentic leader is, thereby exposing the body to manipulation by external forces.

    The state branches, which are the basic building blocks of trade unions, have been in disarray since the election.

    But, there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel. National Industrial Court (NIC) President Babatunde Adejumo has advised the two factions to embrace peaceful reconciliation of their dispute.

    Justice Adejumo’s counsel came on the heels of a legal suit, which came up for hearing before his court in Ikoyi, Lagos, between the two factions.

    The suit stemmed from the 11th National Delegates Conference of the NLC in Abuja on March 12.

    Loyalists of both camps, in their hundreds, stormed the court as early as 7am, jostling for space in the court room and within the premises.

    Chief Gani Adetola Kaseem (SAN), Mrs. Aisha Aremu-Ogunlade and Ahmed Adetola  Kaseem, among other lawyers, are in the legal team  of the Wabba-led faction. Lawyers from the Enobong Etteh’s & Nnamonso Ekanem’s Chambers are holding brief for the Ajaero-led faction.

    After listening to Wabba’s counsel, Justice Adejumo, in an admonition, urged the various unions to embrace mutual reconciliation rather than traversing court rooms   for an intervention that would further widen the gulf among workers. He advocated an amicable and out-of-court settlement of the crisis.

    The NIC president noted that the ordinary union members and the nation at large hold the labour movement in high esteem, given its historic role in the nation’s history.

    He urged the lawyers representing the factions to join hands in resolving the lingering dispute, reminding them that a divided NLC would not bring anything good for its members.

    Stressing the importance of labour in the development of a nation, Justice Adejumo said workers constitute the “engine-room of the economy”, adding that a united NLC is better off than a divided one.

    Justice Adejumo described Issa Aremu, one of the 11 defendants served with originating sermons, as a tested and respected labour leader, who can use his wealth of experience to resolve the crisis.

    He said: “With the likes of Comrade Issa Aremu and others who are respected labour leaders in Nigeria, reconciliation should not be ignored.”

    The judge, however, warned that the court has the powers of conciliation in matters such as NLC’s internal dispute. These powers, he said, are contained in Section 20 of the NIC Act.

    According to him, it is an implied duty of the court, which may warrant it to appoint a Trustee for the NLC, urging the counsels to explore opportunities for reconciliation on a ‘no loser, no vanquish’ basis.

    Before adjourning the case to October 8, Justice Adejumo stated that he gave the advice without prejudice to the case before his court.

    Reacting to the development, the National President of the National Union Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN), Oladele Hunsu, commended the NIC President for his counsel for amicable reconciliation against litigation.

    “We also acknowledge the spirited effort by the highly-respected labour veterans to reconcile both factions following the discredited 11th Delegates’ Conference and Special Delegates’ Conference of NLC respectively”, he said.

    Noting that his union, where  Aremu serves as the general secretary, supported the reconciliation option, he called on other labour leaders to take advantage of the admonition of the NIC President to unite and resolve all outstanding issues in order to forge a common front to defend the workers in the face of the harsh economic situation.

    The Wabba led-camp had returned to the NIC, seeking among others, a declaration that the Special Delegates’ Conference of NLC, where Ajaero and others emerged officers of the Congress, was not organised by the   NLC in line with the Constitution of the Congress in 2011 and should therefore be declared illegal, null and void, and of no effect whatsoever.

    But, in the spirit of the out-of-court settlement, initiated by veteran unionists, led by the founding NLC President, Alhaji Hassan Sunmonu, the belief of concerned members is that the period of the adjournment will be used by the factions to find an enduring and a win-win solution to the problem.

     

    Blackmailing and impersonation

    Events in the past may have further widened the gulf between the two factions. Despite the fact that the Ajaero-led group has expressed its disposition to reconciliation, the other faction under Wabba, has on several occasions accused the group of impersonation.

    Wabba, in a recent statement, said the NLC headquarters took exception to the issuance of statements  by the Ajaero faction on behalf of the Congress.

    His words: “The attention of the Congress has been drawn to the serial impersonation by Comrades Joe Ajaero and Issa Aremu since they both lost their bids to be President and Deputy President of the NLC at the rescheduled March 14, 2015 elections of Congress.”

    Wabba explained what informed his reaction, citing a statement credited to Aremu, in which he called on the National Assembly to, in line with the economic realities, further reduce its N120 billion vote.

    He stated: “While we had restrained the National Secretariat from publishing a disclaimer in the hope that common sense and sanity would eventually prevail on our comrades to stop this delusion, it has become clear to us and the entire labour movement that Comrades Ajaero and Aremu are determined to continue in their enterprise of impersonation as president and deputy president of the NLC.

    “It is for this reason that Comrade Aremu had continued to issue statements in which he continually purport himself to be the deputy president of Congress and on behalf of our revered organisation.

    “One of such statements, and which was given wide publicity in at least four national dailies, contended that the alleged decision of the National Assembly to voluntarily cut its budget from N150 billion to N120 billion was “too token and not far-reaching enough.”

    Wabba stressed that though they (Ajaero and Aremu) can issue statements or speak on behalf of their respective unions, being affiliates of the NLC, they have no right to issue statements or speak for the NLC.

    He said: “As general secretaries of their respective unions, that are affiliates of the NLC, we cannot stop Comrade Aremu of the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria and Ajaero of the National Union of Electricity Employees, or any officer of an industrial union, from speaking on any national issues they feel strongly about.

    “However, no affiliate, industrial union, or their officers, enjoy the liberty to issue statements in the name of the NLC, unless such an affiliate is expressly mandated to do so.”

    He said all instances since Ajaero and Aremu lost their bids to be elected as president and deputy president are clear cases of impersonation.

    “We had course to recently alert our international allies – Organisation of African Trade Union Unity (OATUU), International Trade Union Confederation-Africa (ITUC-Africa) and International Labour Organisation (ILO), among other labour bodies – to discountenance with any correspondence from Comrades Joe Ajaero and Issa Aremu if it is purported to be on behalf of the NLC.

    “While Comrades Ajaero and Aremu pretend to be advocates of democracy, they have both become clear embarrassments, to themselves and unfortunately to the entire labour movement, since they lost the elections to become national officers of Congress.

    “They have failed to show even an iota of democratic civility by approaching law courts if not satisfied with the process that produced the new leadership of the NLC on March 14, 2015. Instead, they have since then been engaging in what are clear cases of obfuscation, blackmail and impersonation.”

    According to Wabba, the NLC will soon engage the leadership of the National Assembly on the budget.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, on the issue of the budget of the National Assembly, on which Comrade Aremu was reported to have issued a statement, we have since met with the National Assembly and we will similarly engage Mr. President on a range of national and labour-related issues, whenever we have an audience with him”, Wabba said.

    In a swift reaction, Aremu lashed out on Wabba, whom he accused of wasting workers’ funds on litigation, pointing out that he should have taken debtor-governors to court over the non-payment of salaries, if only to demonstrate his love for the  NLC.

    According to him, Wabba should dissipate his energies and resources in tackling issues on workers’ welfare welfare and national development, instead of taking the Ajaero’s faction to court.

    He said: “Governors who owe workers several months of salaries should have been taken to court of public opinion and international organisations instead of taking us to the NIC.

    “The court in its wisdom knows we are not impersonating; that we are the authentic representatives of the Congress and that we have more to talk about the ministerial appointments, the National Assembly and other issues of national importance.

    “We (labour leaders) have been together before, and by the grace of God, the issue will be settled since a reconciliation process has started.”

    He said the strength of the organised labour cannot be in fighting one another but in fighting a common enemy, adding that a united NLC will critically move the economy of the country forward.

    The NUTGTW scribe noted that labour veterans in the Sumonu-led committee have begun reconciliation moves to ensure that both parties work together as one organisation.

    He added that the man-hour lost to litigation will not add to the growth of the economy, warning that division could be counter-productive.

    Aremu, however, insisted that the on-going reconciliation must be based on the core values of the labour movement.

    “A united NLC will be better positioned to critically address the nation’s challenges. Trade union must use the power of labour to fight for Nigerians”, he stressed.

    The National President of the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), who doubles as the Deputy President of the Ayuba-led camp, Alhaji Najim Yasin, also confirmed the on-going reconciliatory move.

    “We believe that we should all come together and speak with one voice in the general interest of all Nigerian workers”, he said.

    He expressed the hope that the reconciliation move will go a long way in ending the crisis, which he admitted, has polarised the body.

    Yasin commended the workers and labour leaders for their understanding, assuring them that the NLC will come out of the crisis stronger.

     

    Oshiomhole, ex-NLC leaders, factions meet over crisis

    Efforts at resolving the protracted crisis in the NLC continued in Abuja as Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole and other fromer labour leaders, including  Sumonu, met with factional leaders.

    The meeting, which was earlier scheduled for Benin City, the Edo State capital, was moved to the Federal Capital City (FCT).

    Expectedly, Wabba and Ajaero, led their factions to the meeting  with the committee of veterans.

  • Fed Govt owes PFAs N35b pension contribution, says NLC

    The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday accused the Federal Government of contravening the Pension Reforms Act by failing to remit its contributions and deductions from workers’ salaries to the various Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs).

    The workers also took a swipe at the new Group Managing Director, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for calling for the removal of subsidy on petroleum products, saying it was unfortunate that the GMD has not read the lips of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Speaking during the opening of the National Leadership Retreat of the Congress in Calabar, its President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said  the government has failed to remit about N35billion contributory pension to the various PFAs.

    He said the Congress has written to President Buhari to direct all affected ministries, agencies (MDAs) and parastatals, to immediately remit these funds without further delay to the PFAs.

    He said: “Comrades would recall that we were persuaded to move away from the defined benefit scheme, which was operational in the entire public service of the federation, to the new contributory scheme, in which the workers also contribute part of their monthly salary to fund the new scheme, because of the unviable funding of the old scheme.

    “Eleven years into the operation of this new scheme, and with last year’s review of the Pension Reform Act, it has only recently come to our attention that even the Federal Government is not keeping to the letters of this contributory pension scheme, as it has so far failed to remit the contributions of both itself as an employer and the deductions from employees salaries – both totalling N35 billion, to the respective PFAs.’’

    He added: “We have written to President Buhari to draw his attention to this illegality, and requested him to direct the affected ministries, agencies and parastatals, to immediately remit these funds without further delay to the respective PFAs.

    “During our last National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja earlier this month, we received reports about a number of states being in default in the payment and remittances of workers pension deductions, and the mandatory employers’ deductions, which is referred to as matching fund.

    “NEC had already mandated the Congress leadership to mobilise workers to ensure that the arrears of workers’ salaries, allowances and pensions are cleared by the affected state governments. The Federal Government cannot afford to be listed as among the debtor bodies. It has to lead this exercise by sheer force of example.”

  • NLC faults NBS’s reports

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has faulted the National Bureau of Statistics  reports which put unemployment rate in the urban areas of the country at 10.1 per cent in the second quarter of this year.

    The NLC fumed at the escalating rate of unemployment in the country, describing the situation as a ticking time bomb that all tiers of government must give immediate attention to address.

    The National Executive Council (NEC) of the central labour union expressed sadness that the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the government agency responsible for researching and providing reliable data to assist government’s job creation efforts, is not doing enough in this direction.

    In a communiqué at the end of its meeting in Lagos, signed by its President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, the NLC frowned at what it called “disingenuous approach of the NBS and other agencies of government to manipulate unemployment figures in the country.”

    “This fraudulent approach is not helpful to the government, which needs accurate figures to properly plan on ways of resolving the alarming unemployment situation in the country,” Wabba said.

    Recently, the NBS put unemployment rate in the urban areas of the country at 10.1 per cent in the second quarter of this year. The rate indicated about 2.3 percentage points higher than the 8.8 per cent recorded in the preceding quarter and 3.6 percentage points higher than the rate in Q4, 2014.

  • Workers picket electricity company in Bayelsa

    Workers picket electricity company in Bayelsa

    Members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) Thursday picketed the office of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

    Scores of officials of labour unions stormed the premises of the PHED located along the Opolo axis of the Mbiama-Yenagoa Road in the morning and barricaded it.

    They locked the gates of the company and prevented people including employees of PHEDC from entering and leaving the office.

    They carried placards with inscriptions such as “PHED stop intimidation and slavery”, “Freedom of Association should not be denied staff”, “We want a stop to institutionalized casual contract appointment in PHED”, and “Workers of PHED should be treated as responsible people”, were placed on the gates.

    The factional Chairman of NLC in the state, Mr. Fred Oruseibo, listed arbitrary dismissal and termination of appointments of employees without cogent reasons as part of the grievances of the workers.

    Oruseibo who is also State Chairman of NUEE also said the company had deliberately refused to negotiate its procedural agreement and conditions of service of staff with labour.

    He said: “The most annoying part is that most of their workers are casuals. We all know that casualisation of workers is against the convention of the International Labour Organisation and against Nigerian labour laws and they refuse to negotiate the conditions of service with the staff. They did that in order to enslave the workers.

    “Again, not too long ago when they came and bought the company, they inherited staff that has been working in the company and about thirty-three operators were sacked.

    “These operators were on a salary scale of about N100, 000 to N150, 000 in a month, but they contracted their jobs to contractors who are now offering to pay N20, 000 and N30, 000.The workers refused and because of that they were sacked without any cogent reason.”

    NUEE in a letter dated July 23, issued a 14-day ultimatum to the PHED to review casualization and contract appointment of workers as well as recall sacked employees or face picketing of its business premises.

    Efforts to reach the company’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Jonah Ibomah, proved abortive as his phone rang out.

  • Sunmonu to resolve NLC leadership crisis

    Sunmonu to resolve NLC leadership crisis

    An end may be in sight to the leadership crisis that is rocking the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), with the constitution of a seven-man reconciliation panel headed by a former president of the congress, Comrade Hassan Sunmonu.

    There are two factions in the union –– one is headed by Comrade Ayuba Wabba, who was elected in Abuja at delegate  conferene.  Comrade Joe Ajaero heads the other. He was elected in Lagos.

    Former President of the Congress and Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole told reporters at the end of the reconciliation meeting called by veterans of the congress that a seven-man committee headed by the founding President, Comrade Hassan Sumonu has been set up to iron out all issues that were raised by both parties in the crisis.

    Oshiomhole said that each of the two factions are to be represented by three people including  Comrades Wabba and Joseph Ajaero.

    The mandate of the Committee, he said, will be to meet regularly to iron out the issues in contention until they are resolved. He said the major issues are not about positions since the two factions recognised that only one person can be President at any given time.

    He explained that the reconciliation meeting looked at the issues that arose and concluded that these are all family issues and in every family, it is not unusual to have some disagreement, adding that  “we all deeply regret all that has happened that led to the discordant voices that people were beginning to hear from among the leadership of the NLC”.

    He said that they have all resolved to work together and build peace within the labour movement as well as in the state councils, adding that those who were thinking that the NLC will break up have been disappointed by the out come of the reconciliation.

    He said: “Having listened to all the parties, we all agreed that there is only one NLC and at any given time, only one person can lead and other will follow. But leadership and followers is not a relationship between a tenant and owner. Everybody is a member of the movement.

    “Having deliberated on this, we agree that a committee of seven persons be drawn up with members of three each drawn up from each shade of opinion from the NLC family and our founding president, Comrade Sumonu will provide leadership for this committee of seven and they will meet and ensure that NLC is managed on the basis of inclusion and not exclusion.

    “They will help the leaders of the congress to operate in such a way that everybody will have a sense of belonging. We all agreed that all the issues that has been raised should be revisited. Issues of ethics, morality, customs and practice, traditions of the trade union movement and law.

    “All these issues and others will be addressed in a manner that will help NLC regain internal cohesion and have a coherent voice, not only in running its affairs, but being able to comment authoritatively on matters affecting the politics and economy of Nigeria”.

    Oshiomhole said they have also directed that the matter before the National Industrial Court should be withdrawn unconditionally because the Congress has the internal mechanism to resolve its own crisis.

  • NLC, electricity workers protest in Calabar

    The Private Sector of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Cross River State chapter of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) yesterday prevented workers of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) from entering their office in Calabar, the state capital.

    They called for negotiations on the workers’ welfare.

    The protesters carried placard bearing various descriptions, such as: ‘PHEDC management, negotiate now”; “Stop enslavement of electricity workers”; “Give us our right to unionise”, among others.

    Chairman of NLC Private Sector, Mr. Kalu Imong, said the electricity company deprived the workers of their welfare and dismissing others arbitrarily.

    He urged the government to intervene in the matter, adding that PHEDC should call the union for negotiation.

    NUEE Chairman Daniel Asuquo said: “I am not striking; I am picketing. The picketing will last as long as PHEDC will see reason to call a round table conference and meet our demands before the company.”

    An official of the PHEDC, Mr. Jonah Iboma, said the company had not received any formal complaints from the workers and the union.

     

  • NPA generated N162b, spent N160b – Oshiomhole

    NPA generated N162b, spent N160b – Oshiomhole

    Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, on Tuesday said the Nigeria Port Authority (NPA) spent N160 billion out of the N162 billion it generated in one year, while remitting only N2 billion to government coffers.

    Oshiomhole, who spoke at the 8th quadrennial delegates conference of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, also said another revenue generating agency of government failed to make remittance to the federations account from the taxes collected, claiming that money generated was not enough to fund its operations.

    The governor spoke just as the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayba Wabba, asked members of the National Peace Committee not be an obstacle to the fight against corruption and recovering of funds stolen by public officers.

    Oshiomhole, who is the Chairman of a committee set up by the National Economic Council to investigate revenue generating agencies, also blasted members of the National Peace Committee and other Nigerians for asking President Muhammadu Buhari not to investigate former President Goodluck Jonathan because he conceded defeat in the March 28 presidential election and handed over power to the President.

    He said: “Last week, somebody told us that the Nigeria Port Authority admitted that it collected N162 billion in one year and spent N160 billion out of that and remitted N2 billion naira to the Federal Government.

    “Is that Justice? Can you have peace in the face of this kind of abuse?”

     

  • NLC demands minimum wage review

    NLC demands minimum wage review

    • Suspension of privatisation

    The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comade Ayuba Wabba, has demanded a review of the N18,000 minimum wage by the Federal Government.

    Wabba said the union is in support of the government’s anti-corruption crusade, as it is a part of the initiative designed to reposition the nation’s economy.

    The NLC President who spoke  at the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the union in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), said the current minimum wage is unrealistic given the present economic reality.

    He said when the NLC agreed on the N18, 000 minimum wage with the Federal Government, the exchange rate was N140 to a dollar, but as at today, it is N220 to a dollar.

    Wabba said Nigerian workers should be treated fairly by reviewing their salary upward in line with the present economic reality, adding that the minimum wage is no longer enough to sustain workers.

    He condemned the spate of corruption in the country, where a privileged few corner the resources belonging to all Nigerians, pointing out that the NLC would support President Mohammed Buhari’s move to prosecute culprits.

    “The issue of corruption in Nigeria is mind boggling and unacceptable to us, as this has caused many of us to live in penury. Those responsible for corruption and stealing of our collective patrimony should be prosecuted and made to face the law, if found wanting. This is the only way to make Nigeria work.”

    He said a lot of resources that should accrue to the state are being stolen by individuals and some privileged few. The NLC president called on the Federal Government to encourage workers to expose corruption in their domain, saying if workers were encouraged as whistle blowers, it would help the country.

    He said the President should ensure that such workers are protected while acting as whistle blowers, stressing that no one should be victimised for such act.

    Wabba said the various probes by the anti-corruption agencies must not end up like others such as the power sector and the fuel subsidy scam, which ended without result.

    He called for speedy trial of suspects by the judiciary, adding that Judges must henceforth not be allowed to grant injunctions against suspects.

    “The anti-corruption agencies must not relent in their efforts in prosecuting corruption; that money must be recovered and put back into the country,’’ he said.

    He called for the diversification of the economy, stating that a situation where the government depends largely on oil revenue is inimical to growth.

    Wabba warned the government against disengaging workers in the cause of the merging of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), saying the NLC would resist such move.

    He said merging ministries with the sole aim of disengaging workers, would be met with stiff resistance by labour unions.

    Also, the NLC’s other faction led by Comrade Joe Ajero, has called on the government to suspend further privatisation of public assets, claiming that Nigerians are not reaping the promised benefits of improved and cost effective services from the public enterprises already privatised.

    Speaking with newsmen after their council meeting, Ajaero said it is clear that these privatised enterprises, like Nigeria Telecommunications Limited (NITEL), the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), Ajaokuta and other steel rolling mills are not in a position to provide public-spirited services.

    He said Nigerians are worse off paying more for poor services and performance.

    Lamenting the state of the economy, he said: “NEC in session expressed concern that if there is any reason Nigeria is yet to fulfil her development potentials, it is corruption. With over $150 billion  stolen and stashed away in foreign banks, we need not search further for any other reason for the perennial decay and the sorry state of our critical infrastructure.

    He said the NEC is in support of the President’s efforts to seek international support to ensure repatriation of the stolen wealth from Nigeria and bring to book everyone found culpable.

    “Beyond the recovery of stolen wealth, we urge the present administration to strengthen the anti-corruption agencies, such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and other Offences Commission (ICPC), and as well carry out reforms in the justice administration system, such that corruption cases can be quickly dispensed with,” he added.

    Ajaero said the Council noted with pains that all economic indices indicate that the economy is in recession with falling oil revenue, the fluctuating foreign exchange rate, rising inflation, gradual decline in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate, declining household income, and increasing unemployment among others.

    “NEC in session opined that it is time to rethink our economic development strategy from foreign reserve guzzling import dependent framework to a system that will deliberately stimulate and promote sustainable productive activities in agriculture and manufacturing geared towards exportation of made in Nigeria made products.

    “NEC in session reiterates that the development of the real sector, particularly the iron, steel and automobile, mining, textile and garment segments, is quite critical for the creation of mass decent jobs, elimination of poverty and building a virile and sustainable economy,” he said.

    He said the Congress therefore, commits to engaging the present administration on these issues through campaigns and policy advocacy.