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Tag: NLC

  • NLC to govt: cut cost of governance

    The Federal Government yesterday got a piece of advice on its planned austerity measures. It should reduce its running cost, workers said.

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is displeased with the “opulence” in government while workers’ salaries are not paid and employees are being told to tighten their belts.

    In its New Year message, which also serves as a review of the state of the nation in 2014, the NLC predicted a tough 2015, urging workers to brace for hard times but warned against imposition of selective austerity measures and rationalisation of the work force.

    It said: “We support government initiatives to tax the rich through luxury taxes.  More importantly, we are convinced that the surest way to manage the budget under austerity is to reduce the cost of governance.  Bloated prerequisites of political office holders must be cut.  Prerequisites and comfort of politicians need to reflect the reality of the times.

    “Mr President and the State House must lead in this regard.  The size of the presidential fleet (there are 11 planes in the fleet), the cost of running the State House and the retinue of political jobbers can all be reasonably cut without reducing the effectiveness of the Presidency.”

    The message signed by NLC President Abdulwaheed Omar asked workers to reject politicians with anti-workers policy in this year’s election.

    Any governor who cannot pay workers’ salaries as at when due has no moral right to take his own salaries and allowances, the NLC argued.

    The NLC President frowned at the treatment of workers by some state governments and federal agencies in 2014 and the avoidable strikes that paralysed services in the health and education sectors.

    He lamented the non payment of December salaries to workers in 11 states before Christmas and some federal ministries and asked workers in the three states that are owing salaries for between three and eight months to immediately began the process of an industrial action.

    “Government’s behaviour further undermined the fragile peace and capacities in the sectors.

    “Of the 30 states reporting as of the 30th of December, 11 subjected their workers to a Christmas/New Year celebration without the December salary.  Three of these, Benue, Plateau and Osun, owe their workers arrears of salaries ranging from three to eight months!  Some federal government employees in the ministries of education, labour and productivity, among others, are owed arrears of salaries ranging from one to three months.

    The NLC President expressed concern that little was  being done to deepen democratic culture in the polity as the government, through the institutions of the State, especially the police, has continued to demonstrate unacceptable intolerance of political opposition.

    Congress, he said, is also concerned that political debates during the year “were non-issue-based and largely centred on mundane and primordial stripes”, adding that “there were cases of gross human rights abuses, especially the cold-blooded murders in Abuja and Zaria in the name of pre-emptive strikes against Boko Haram”.

    The NLC, said: “Government, however, deserves commendation for giving the Human Rights Commission free and unfettered freedom to conduct investigations and to reach un-influenced conclusions.

    “Despite the rating of the economy in the year as the biggest in Africa, there was little by way of practical performance: lending rates remained high, making the cost of doing business unreasonable; the Naira was hugely devalued in the last quarter, jerking up the cost of living and preventing Nigerians from benefitting from falling crude oil prices; the economy remained largely import-based, in spite of the volume of the so-called foreign direct investment.

    “Not surprisingly, unemployment figures remain unacceptably high; crime rates quadrupled, poverty deepened, energy sector consistently operated at its lowest ebb ever, putting a question mark on the wisdom behind privatising the sector. Paradoxically, this poor service was marked by inexplicable high tariffs.

    “Insurgency rose to unprecedented levels, leading to loss of territories, destruction of lives and properties, refugee problems and threat to food production. On a non-physical plane, the psyche of Nigerians was thoroughly brutalized.

    ”The inability to locate and rescue the Chibok girls remains a dagger piercing the heart of the nation.  Our thoughts and prayers remain with the families of these girls as we celebrate the New Year.

    ”Insecurity came by other means in the form of kidnappings, pastoralist/farmer clashes, communal/sectarian skirmishes, etc. In spite of government’s sworn commitment and the presence of a multi-agency task force in the Niger Delta, crude oil theft assumed a phenomenon in the year, accounting for as much as 30 per cent of national output.

    “This has created loss of revenues and divestments. Closely linked to this horrendous crime is the degradation of the environment by illegal refineries, oil spills, cover-ups and related incidents.

    “It would appear that government does not have a structured response to the present volatility in the crude oil market sparked by commercial shale oil mining and deepened by crashing prices across the globe. Practically all the measures mooted or taken so far by government  smack of shock and panic and clearly expose our vulnerability.

    “Clearly, this would have been avoidable if our suggestions had been taken on board by government. For instance, we recall  advising government time without number to boost the capacity of domestic refining instead of depending on imports whose landing cost is dependent on prevailing exchange rate and other motivations not far from usury.

    “In consideration of the vagaries of a mono-cultural economy, we had similarly over the years urged the government to diversify the economy by developing other sectors of the economy.

    “In light of the following, we find it necessary to urge the government to take sustainably viable and proactive steps instead of punitive measures against workers whose quality of life has already been negatively affected by devaluation and other measures.

    “We condemn the imposition of exploitative electricity tariff and urge caution in case this leads to some further unpleasantries.

    “We still stand by our time-tested position that the only permanent solution to the crises of petroleum product pricing is adequate domestic refining. Accordingly, we urge government to put in place realistic appropriate legislation and policy in order to realise this.

    “The year 2015 is an election year whose outcome will mark a watershed in the history of Nigeria’s democracy. We call for fair, transparent and credible elections. We insist Nigeria is bigger than any partisan interests and its sovereignty and inviolability are sacrosanct. Workers are enjoined to come out en mass to perform their civic duty as well as defend their votes. Power lies in the voter’s card.

    “Government is also called upon to fashion out a comprehensible and implementable national security strategy that is capable of dealing with the myriad of threats to our unity and sovereignty.”

  • The rich evade tax, says NLC

    The rich do not pay tax, the General Secretary, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr. Peter Ozo-Eson, has.

    Speaking with reporters in Lagos, he said: “Most of the very rich people in the country are not paying tax; there must be a scheme to get them to pay adequate tax.

    “Most of the luxury goods are consumed by the rich, and goods in this category include private jets that are in our airports today.’’

    He said the country could survive the economic depression occasioned by the fall in oil prices with effective taxation on luxury goods being consumed by the rich.

    The labour leader appealed to the government to shun plans to transfer the burden of the crisis to the workers.

    “Nigeria is a country that is so rich and yet there is serious poverty that we are talking about. If we tax private jets and other frivolous forms of consumption in a very high rate, that will be a welcome development. Those who consume such commodity should be taxed heavily,’’ Ozo-Eson added.

    The unionist said the starting point of the austerity measures should be a cut in the cost of governance to check waste, adding that the government could efficiently function with leaner expenditure pattern.

    He said: “Our position is that with the employment positions in public sector today, most of the cost that is heavily weighing down the finances has nothing to do with the remuneration of workers. It has to do with the bloated and exquisite allowances attached to the management staff, political office holders and their staff.’’

    The NLC, he said, is supporting the government’s plan to raise tax on luxury items.

  • 22 states owe workers three months salaries —NLC

    22 states owe workers three months salaries —NLC

    No fewer than 22 state governments are owing up to three month salaries, according to  the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

    Vice President of the NLC, Mr. Issa Aremu, calls the development  wage robbery, an economic crimes and therefore unacceptable.

    The NLC  Vice President, in a statement in Kaduna, alleged that the same governors who have defaulted  in meeting their financial obligations to workers were able to mobilise funds to pay  the delegates to the  just concluded party primaries.

    He urged the  affected governors to settle the salary arrears immediately by sourcing money from the same avenues from which they  got finances to pay their party delegates.

    His words: “We see that delay in payment of salaries as wage theft, wage robbery. It is actually an economic crime because Nigeria Labour law says thou shall pay the worker as at when due. In fact by 22nd of every month you must have paid the workers fully.

    “We never heard of any delegate being owed a single penny during the primary elections, but they cannot get money to pay the workers. In fact, some of the delegates even bought new cars and properties after the primaries because they money they got in just few days is much more than what workers earn in many months”.

    The NLC Vice President also asked  the Federal Government to review upward the national minimum wage  in view of the   emerging economic challenges in the country,and warned  against any attempt by government to further impoverish the Nigerian workers through the recently announced austerity measures by the Federal government.

    He  said  that the $65 per barrel of crude oil as captured in the 2015 budget has  confirmed  Nigeria’s over reliance on  oil  contrary to the claim of the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy that the budget is projected on a non oil revenue basis.

    Mr. Aremu said the National Assembly, while  debating the budget proposal, should put policies that will grow the real sectors of the economy and also ensure that the Central Bank of Nigeria lowers the interest rate and stop the free fall of the Naira which will undermine purchasing power of the working people.

  • Reject December salary, NLC tells Kogi workers

    The Kogi State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has directed civil servants in the state to reject their December salaries to protect the jobs of over 6,000 workers slated for sack by the government.

    The NLC gave the directive yesterday in Lokoja, the state capital, in a communique issued at the end of the meeting of its executive committee.

    The communiqué was signed by James Odaodu (Chairman) and John Kolawole (Secretary).

    It noted that the leadership of the NLC was piqued by the arbitrary removal of the names of over 6,000 workers from December pay roll.

    The NLC added that the only way to protect the interest of the affected workers was for the entire workforce to reject this month’s salaries.

    Congress accused the Commissioners for Finance, Budget and Planning and the Accountant-General of ‘hijacking’ the job of the committee constituted by government to implement the report of the recent screening of the state work force.

    It urged the officials to ‘hands-off’ to ensure “thorough implementation” of the report of the exercise.

    While appreciating the government for involving labour in efforts to sanitise the state civil service, the NLC frowned at what it called “selective” implementation of the report of the screening.

    “We condemn the plan by government to implement part of the report.”

  • NLC tells govt to address insurgency

    NLC tells govt to address insurgency

    Workers challenged President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday to speak on the Boko Haram insurgency, which has claimed thousands of lives.

    The President should borrow a leaf from his Kenyan counterparts, Uhuru Kenyatta, address Nigerians on the state of the nation and take concrete step towards ending the insurgency, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said.

    There should be a change of strategy, with well over 5,000 killed in serial attacks, the congress said.

    NLC Vice President Comrade Isa Aremu announced the congress’ posiition at a news conference in Kaduna, following the Kano bombing in which over 100 residents died.

    Nigeria parades possibly the highest number of past Heads of State, according to Aremu, who said they should join forces with the Federal Government and patriotic citizens to terminate insurgency and senseless killings.

    Aremu, who is also the Secretary-General of the National union of Textile Garment Workers of Nigeria, said: “Citizens must be assured in concrete and practical terms that workplaces, schools, markets and worship places are safe. The current state of insecurity, if not curtailed will further worsen existing low productivity, ground work places and underdevelop the nation.

    “When we add serial bombings in parts of Maiduguri and now Yobe, these are attacks getting too many for a country that has not been officially said to be at war. More frightening is the fact that the casualties include soldiers and police meant to protect us.

    “It’s time President Goodluck Jonathan addressed the citizens on the state of the nation. Just today Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta has not only addressed Kenyans but has fired his internal security minister and accepted the resignation of his police chief following the al-Shabaab quarry attack that reportedly killed 36 quarry workers in the north of the country.

    “We possibly may not know these dark forces of murder and mayhem. But we know our Commander-in-Chief, Service Chiefs, Defence Minister,Interior Minister, National Security Adviser, state governors, elected and appointed public officers and traditional rulers. They must live to the expectation of their respective oaths of office and ensure inclusive security of all Nigerians. If we can commendably secure political rallies, cultural carnivals, we must be able to guarantee security for all.

    “With these senseless killings, 2.5 million people displaced, never before is Nigeria calling and we must obey. With as many as eight million organised workforce in the NLC and TUC, Nigeria parades patriotic workforce. It’s time these compatriots and patriots in the civil society rose to defend lives and property.

    “We salute the patriots who are still standing and remain counted in this age of least resistance by many compatriots, notably His Eminence Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto and John Cardinal Onaiyekan, Catholic Cardinal Archbishop of Abuja, former Military Governor of Kaduna

    State, Colonel Umar Dangiwa (rtd), Prof. Wole Soyinka, elder statesman Emeka Anyaoku and Femi Falana have also rightly warned all compatriots not to be indifferent to the sad development in the Northeast.

    “Nigeria parades possibly the highest number of past Heads of State that include General Yakubu Gowon, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, General Muhammadu Buhari, General Ibrahim Babangida, Chief Ernest Shonekan, General Abdulsalam Abubakar and Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. It is high time these past Heads of State joined forces with the Federal Government and patriotic citizens of the country to terminate insurgency and senseless killings in the country.”

    The NLC sympathised with the people and government of Kano State on the “cowardly” bomb blast on November 28 at the Kano Central Mosque, which reportedly left scores of worshippers dead and many injured.

    On the devaluation of the Naira, the NLC boss said Nigerians certainly have enough frustration to resign into complacency.

    His words: “The recent administrative Naira devaluation and hike in interest rate by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will further worsen the deteriorating condition of workers through eroded wages and high prices of basic goods. Indeed, government must reverse these ill-advised, anti-people policies of devaluation of Naira and increase in interest rate.

    “There is a Moroccan proverb that says ‘my country is my country even though it is unjust to me’. However, regardless of these anti-people policies, Nigerian compatriots must heed the first stanza of the National Anthem.”

  • Check yourself or resign humbly, NLC tells IG

    Check yourself or resign humbly, NLC tells IG

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday asked the Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba, to check his excesses or humbly resign his appointment.

    It described as disgusting, barbaric and shameful the stopping of the the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, from entering the National Assembly.

    In a statement made available to The Nation and signed by the President of the Congress, Abdulwaheec Omar, the NLC said that the action of the police was unlawful and an act of impunity in furtherance of partisan consideration.

    The statement entitled “This Evil Must Not Stand”, reads: “The barricading and preventing of the Honourable Speaker, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal and members of the House of Representatives from gaining access to the premises of the National Assembly for a lawful duty, their harassment, intimidation, molestation and tear gassing by the members of the Nigeria Police Force was disgusting, barbaric and shameful.

    “We at the Nigeria Labour Congress believe the conduct of the police is unlawful and an act of impunity in furtherance of partisan consideration. It is worrisome already that the government has done little to mitigate the damage done by its previous acts adjudged to be unconstitutional.

    “Yet every government that seeks legitimacy must demonstrate a certain level of sophistication even in violation. We find the explanation by the police for their conduct, spurious and puerile and not worthy of response.

    “We however, do admit we have a major problem on our hands when the police lend themselves to doing private jobs instead of their prescribed duties. The Inspector General of Police must check himself or do the next honourable thing, resign.

    “We believe Honourable Aminu Tambuwal about whom this Gestapo operation was, holds a constitutional office and deserves all the respect and privileges befitting that office. It was bad enough that the IGP unlawfully withdrew his security detail.

    “While we await the next scene after this messy attempt at denying him access to the National Assembly, we find it necessary to quote a popular Chinese proverb: “ Those who seek vengeance must dig two graves”.

    “We similarly find it urgent and necessary to warn that we cannot continue like this. We shall resist with every lawful means available to us any further attempt to put in jeopardy this democracy.

    “Nigerians will resist any further brazen and naked use of power or any conduct capable of truncating this democracy. The National Assembly is a critical institution in our democracy and should be accorded all the respect it deserves”.

     Also,  the  Conference               of Nigerian  Political  Parties  (CNPP) yesterday demanded the sack of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) over Thursday’s fracas at the National Assembly.

     President Goodluck Jonathan, it said, should immediately effect the removal.

    Reacting to the development,  CNPP National Publicly Secretary, Osita Okechukwu, through a telephone conversation said: “Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) condemns in no uncertain terms the brigandage and rascality of the Nigeria Police Force as evidenced with the desecration of the National Assembly.

    “NPP is yet to understand the motive behind the violence unleashed by the Nigeria Police Force, to Honorable Members of the House of Representatives, in utter violation of the core mandate of the Police to protect and defend the people and the laws of the land.

    “We wish to warn those who wittingly and unwittingly discredit and abuse our hard won democracy, to desist forthwith from such ignoble act.

     ”For we had witnessed voter apathy in election after election showing clearly that there is voter unhappiness and voter disquiet; an ominous sign-post of anarchy, the unintended consequences which are better imagined than welcome.

    “Consequently, His Excellency, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, in the collective interest of our dear country and fledgling democracy; should sack the Inspector General of the Police (IGP), Mr. Suleiman Abba, so as to absolve himself from the insinuations gaining ground that the new IGP is his attack-dog.”

  • NLC, TUC warn govt over stunted N4b housing project

    NLC, TUC warn govt over stunted N4b housing project

    THE Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have petitioned the House of Representatives over “the refusal of the government to fund the workers’ housing project under existing agreements.”

    The unions are, therefore, threatening strike if the right thing is not done.

    The House of Representatives Committee on Finance headed by Abdulmumin Jibrin, chided the Federal Government yesterday for moving money into a mortgage re-financing company when the promised houses were not yet built.

    It said the move jeopardised the N4 billion housing project meant for Nigerian workers under the aegis of the NLC and the TUC.

    “Does it make sense to have mortgage refinancing when the houses are not on ground,” Jibrin asked.

    But the Managing Director of the Nigeria Mortgage Re-financing Company was not available to answer the questions posed by the committee and other stakeholders.

    The Chairman of the Subsidy Reinvestment Programme (SURE- P) was also not available, although he was invited.

    President of the NLC, Abdulwaheed Omar, and his TUC counterpart, Musa Lawal, however, met with the committee and complained that the Federal Government had reneged on an agreement meant to provide the Nigerian workers houses after their retirement.

  • NLC: restore Tambuwal’s security

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday lent its force to the condemnation of Inspector General of Police Suleiman Abba’s withdrawal of House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal’s security aides.

    At the weekend, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) slammed the IG for the action, saying the police have no power to implement the law.

    Like the NBA, the NLC called for the immediate restoration of Tambuwal’s security.

    In a statement entitled “Nothing must happen to Tambuwal”, signed by NLC General Secretary Dr Peter Ozo-Eson, the congress said withdrawing the security detail for defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC) is unconstitutional as no section of the Constitution states that the Speaker must come from the majority party.

    The NLC said if the police did not withdraw the security aides of Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko and former Borno State Governor Ali Modu Sherrif for defecting from the Labour Party and the APC to the PDP, there was no sense in withdrawing Tambuwal’s aides.

    Demanding the immediate restoration of Tambuwal’s security, the NLC said the police and other security agents who carried out the action should hide their heads in shame.

    The statement reads: “We at the Nigeria Labour Congress are appalled by the withdrawal of security detail of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, ostensibly because he had defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    “The act is shameful, distasteful, unconstitutional and demonstrates our parochial sense of power and very little knowledge of history. No part of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria says the Speaker of the House of Representatives should come from the majority party.

    “Section 50(1)(b) only says, “ There shall be …a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, who shall be elected by the members of that House from among themselves…’

    “In the Second Republic, the Honourable Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Edwin Ume-Ezeoke, was elected from the ranks of NPP, not just an opposition party but the third strong , after UPN and NPN. We have other precedents across the world.

    “We find it appropriate to cite the examples of Mimiko and Ali Modu-Sheriff, governor of Ondo State and former governor of Borno State respectively. Their security detail were not withdrawn when they defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    “It gives us concern that our political leaders are determined to learn very little about democracy and always seem too keen to overheat the polity over things that count for little.

    “The police and other security agencies complicit in this disgusting conduct should hold their heads in shame. Herein lies the essence of strong institutions which we have always advocated.

    “For those who take pleasure in converting to personal use, public/state institutions, today’s men soon become yesterday’s men. What goes around, comes around.

    “In light of the foregoing, we demand immediate restoration of Tambuwal’s security detail and all the rights and privileges that accrue to the Office of the Speaker. It is not about Tambuwal, it is about the office which he holds.

    “And in any case, only  few, arguably, will contest that he has not discharged and acquitted himself as speaker. We would like to be on record that we will not fold our hands while little minds threaten our hard-earned democracy. Nothing should happen to Tambuwal.”

  • NLC faults withdrawal of Tambuwal’s security aides

    NLC faults withdrawal of Tambuwal’s security aides

    The Nigeria Labour Congress has described the withdrawal of security details of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal by the police as shameful.

    The Union in a statement entitled “nothing must happen to Tambuwal” and signed by the General Secretary of Congress, Dr Peter Ozo-Eson, the congress said it was part of plans by politicians to heat up the polity.
    It said withdrawing the security details of the Speaker for decamping to the All Progressive Congress is unconstitutional as no section of the Nigerian constitution states that the Speaker must come from the majority party.
    The NLC said further if the Police did not withdraw the security details of Ondo state governor, Olusegun Mimiko and former Borno state governor, Ali Modu Sherrif for decamping from the Labour Party and All Progressive party respectively to the PDP, there was no sense in withdrawing Tambuwal’s aides for decamping.
    While demanding the immediate restoration of Tambuwal’s security details, the NLC said that the police and other security agents who carried out the action should hide their head in shame.
    The statement reads: “We at the  Nigeria Labour Congress are appalled by the withdrawal of security details of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal ostensibly because he had decamped to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
    “The act is shameful, distasteful, unconstitutional and demonstrates our parochial sense of power and very little knowledge of history. No part of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria says the Speaker of the House of Representatives should come from the majority party.
    “Section 50(1)(b) only says, ” There shall be …a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, who shall be elected by the members of that House from among themselves…”
    “In the Second Republic, the Honourable Speaker of the House of Representatives Chief Edwin Ume-Ezeoke was elected from the ranks of NPP, not just an opposition party but the third strong , after UPN and NPN. We have other precedents across the world.
    “We find it appropriate to cite the examples of Mimiko and Ali Modu-Sheriff, governor of Ondo State and former governor of Borno State respectively. Their security details were not withdrawn when they decamped to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
    “It gives us concern that our political leaders are determined to learn very little about democracy and always seem too keen to overheat the polity over things that count for little.
    “The police and other security agencies complicit in this disgusting conduct should hold their heads in shame. Herein lies the essence of strong institutions which we have always advocated.
    “For those who take pleasure in converting to personal use, public/state institutions, today’s men soon become yesterday’s men. What goes around, comes around.
    “In light of the foregoing, we demand immediate restoration of Tambuwal’s security detail and all the rights and privileges that accrue to the Office of the Speaker. It is not about Tambuwal, it is about the office which he holds.
    “And in any case, only  few, arguably will contest that he has not discharged and acquitted himself as speaker. We would like to be on record that we will not fold our hands while little minds threaten our hard-earned democracy. Nothing should happen to Tambuwal”.

  • NLC to work against those who trample on workers’ right

    Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has vowed to work against the interest of members of the National Assembly and other political office seekers, who choose to trample on the right of the workers.

    In a communique at the end of its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja last night, signed by the President and General Secretary, Abdulwahid Omar and Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson, NLC said in the interest of industrial harmony, those enjoying undeserved advantages should not do anything to further make life more difficult for workers.

    The meeting mandated the leadership of the union to meet the Senate leadership to verify the true position of the claim that it is leading the crusade for the deregulation of wages in the country.

    The communique reads: “The National Executive Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress after an exhaustive deliberation at the Top Rank Hotel Galaxy, Abuja resolved as follows:

    “The NEC-in-Council condemned in very strong terms the reported stepping down of Labour, including Wages from the Exclusive List to the Concurrent List by the National Assembly (NASS);

    “In spite of denials by some officers of the National Assembly to the contrary, NEC directed its members to begin immediate mobilisation of members, including visiting their representatives in the Houses of Assembly and  the National Assembly to demand their input in maintaining the status quo of Labour on the Exclusive List.”

     

     

    “The NEC-in-Session mandated the leadership of the Congress to meet with the leadership of the Senate to ascertain the veracity  or otherwise of the claim that it is leading the crusade for the deregulation of wages in the Country on the one hand;

    and meet the leadership of the House of Representatives for re-assurance that it has not relinquished its honourable pledge to retain Wages on the Exclusive List, on the other.

    “The NEC warned that it will work against the interest of any seeker of political office who chooses to trample on the rights of Nigerian workers;

    “The NEC advises that in the interest of industrial harmony, those enjoying undeserved advantages should not do anything to further make life more difficult for Nigerian workers”.