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Tag: Samuel Olowookere

  • ASUU Strike-FG set to meet with union on Monday

    The Federal Government will meet with the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU) on Monday Dec.10, over the ongoing nationwide strike.

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, made this known in a statement signed by the Director of Press in the Ministry, Mr Samuel Olowookere, in Abuja.

    Ngige said that all further discussions between the Ministry of Education and ASUU would now reconvene at 4 p.m.at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.

    The Minister also condemned a statement credited to a Human Rights Lawyer, Mr Femi Falana who was alleged to have described as illegal the enforcement of section 43:1 of the Trade Dispute Act 2004 on the’’ No Work No Pay’’

    Falana was also said to have asked the federal government to immediately withdraw what he termed an “illegal order”.

    The minister, however, said that the law of ‘’No Work, No Pay,’’ was a fundamental axiom in labour and industrial relations all over the world.

    He said that the ministry would investigate the media report credited to Falana to ascertain whether he actually quoted the Supreme Court judgments.

    “That is knowing that they are tangential and that they neither anchor nor dwell on provisions of section 43 of Trade Dispute Act T8(LFN 2004) before it will take further necessary action, ” he said.

    Read Also:ASUU strike: FG begins implementation of no-work-no-pay rule in striking varsities

    NAN reports that on Dec, 4, the meeting between the Federal Government and ASUU ended without any conclusio.

    Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, ASUU National President, while speaking with newsmen at the end of the closed door meeting in Abuja noted that negotiations were still ongoing. He said both parties were yet to reach a concrete decision.

    “For now, we have started to discuss. We are yet to reach any concrete decision. Once we have more information, we will make ourselves available to the press.

    “The union will reconvene very soon to continue negotiations,” he said.

    The meeting held at the instance of the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu was to find lasting solution to the ongoing strike by the university lecturers.

    ASUU had on Nov. 4, embarked on an indefinite strike over poor funding of Nigerian universities and non-implementation of previous agreements by government.

    Meanwhile, the President, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Mr Danielson Akpan has urged both parties to have a common ground so that the universities can reopen.

    He said they must put the interest of the country and Nigerian students above any other thing.

  • Workers’ Day: FG pledges commitment to enhance workers’ welfare

    The Federal Government has pledged its commitment to enhance workers’ welfare and prosperity for all citizens in the country.

    Sen. Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment, made this pledge in a statement signed by Mr Samuel Olowookere, Director of Press in the ministry to mark the 2018 Workers’ Day celebration.

    Ngige said that workers should use the occasion to reminisce on the positive outcomes of the labour’s struggle for a better working conditions and decent work environment.

    According to him, this is an administration that places a lot of premium on the welfare of workers and all citizenry and has done so in very transparent manner.

    “Our openness is to provide enough window for all Nigerians to appreciate the state of the nation and the efforts of the government.

    “Our modest achievement in creating equable condition for job security and improved welfare for workers.

    “This is as evident in the fact that no Federal civil or public servant has lost his or her job in the last three years of the administration despite economic downturn.

    “This is as well as the ongoing effort to give effect to a new national minimum wage easily bear out Federal Government’s commitment to the upliftment of the workforce.

    Read Also:  Workers’ Day: NANS urges FG, states to implement new minimum wage

    “This year’s celebration therefore presents an opportunity for a collective reflection on the contributions of the labour movement to national growth.

    “We should also reflect on the steadfastness of the Buhari administration to the welfare of workers on the other,‘’ he said.

    He, however, called for the continuous support for the success of administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He said the cardinal objective of the present administration was the revival of the economy; enhancement of the security of the nation and zero tolerance for corruption.

    “ The Federal Government has so far covered a considerable millage notwithstanding teething challenges.

    “ I therefore solicit your continued support towards bringing these national goals to fruition,’’ he added.

    He further assured all workers of better days ahead.

    NAN

  • FG to strengthen fight against child labour, human trafficking

    FG to strengthen fight against child labour, human trafficking

    Federal Government says it will continue to champion the renewed fight against child labour, modern slavery, human trafficking and forced labour in the country.

    Mr Bolaji Adebiyi, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment said this in a statement signed by Mr Samuel Olowookere, Deputy Director, Press in the ministry.

    Adebiyi, who stated this at the strategy meeting of the National Steering Committee on Child Labour, affirmed the readiness of the ministry to ensure best practices in line with emerging global trends in labour administration.

    “Let me acknowledge that one of the emerging global trends in labour administration is the renewed fight against child labour, modern slavery, human trafficking and forced labour as encapsulated in the Alliance 8.7.

    “Nigeria as a signatory to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations should not be found behind but rather, be at the forefront of the pursuit of these objectives,’’ he said.

    He said that the fight against the scourge of Child Labour would require the innovation and collaboration of stakeholders as the Federal Government cannot do it alone.

    He said that the eradication of child labour would only be accelerated through leveraging expertise across diverse fields.

    “Hence, Target 8.7 of the Sustainable Development Goals and Alliance 8.7 emphatically requests stakeholders in the fight against the scourge of child labour to work together in new innovative and collaborative ways, ‘’he said.

    The permanent secretary, while setting the agenda for the meeting, said that the meeting should among others, ensure awareness creation and sensitisation on the Reporting Template for the Elimination of Child Labour in Nigeria.

    Adebiyi said consequently, a national registry of High-Level Desk Officers on Child Labour in all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) would be established.

    He added that there will be immediate commencement of the usage of the validated Reporting Template on the Elimination of Child Labour in Nigeria.

    Earlier in his remarks, Mr Solomon Ajibola, Director Inspectorate in the ministry, commended the Federal Government’s resolve to support efforts geared towards eradicating child labour in Nigeria.

    Ajibola said there was the need to engage preventive measures toward eradicating the scourge of child labour in the country.

    “We just have to look inwards, our primary focus is the reporting aspect of the programme and we want to come up with a National all-embracing Child Labour Report during the first quarter of the year, ‘’he said.

  • Strike: Govt, ASUU to meet Thursday  

    Strike: Govt, ASUU to meet Thursday  

    The meeting between leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU ) and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige aimed at prevailing on the striking university lecturers to call off their strike is to resume on Thursday, the Ministry of Labour has said.

    The decision to resume the meeting was taking on Tuesday after a meeting between the Minister and the leadership of the union at the Minister’s Conference Room, Federal Secretariat.

    A statement last night signed by the Deputy Director Press in the Ministry, Samuel Olowookere said the Tuesday’s meeting took significant steps towards the quick resolution of the issues raised by ASUU.

    The statement said that the meeting particularly agreed on the forensic audit of the sum of 30 billion Naira earlier given to ASUU in 2010 and further agreed on monthly remittances to ASUU while the audit lasts.

    “The Minister hence wishes to assure members of ASUU; in deed all Nigerians that government is already at work   to resolve all outstanding issues in line with the resolve of the present administration to cast any form of disruption of universities’ academic calendar into the dust bin of history.”