The Nation Newspaper

Tag: TUC

  • Elimination of child labour’ll benefit economy, says TUC

    Trade -Union Congress (TUC) has pointed out that eliminating child labour in transition and developing economies could generate economic benefits nearly seven times greater than the costs.

    Speaking with The Nation, Secretary General of TUC, Comrade Musa Lawal said child labour is a violation of fundamental human rights and has been shown to hinder children’s development, potentially leading to lifelong physical or psychological damage.

    “Evidence in Nigeria, for instance, points to a strong link between household poverty and child labour, and child labour perpetuates poverty across generations by keeping children of the poor out of school and limiting their prospects for upward social mobility.

    “The TUC has made it clear to the government that policy to combat child labour is necessary because the lowering of human capital in the economy through child labour has been linked to slow economic growth and social development.

    “In the 2014 labour conference, discussions on International Labour Organisation (ILO) study on child labour has shown that eliminating child labour in transition and developing economies could generate economic benefits nearly seven times greater than the costs,” he said.

    He said for many governments around the world the elimination of forced labour remains an important challenge for the 21st century as it would curb insecurity challenges. Lawal said political leadership at all levels in Nigeria need to redouble their efforts in curbing corruption.

    His words: “We appeal to our political leadership at all levels in the country to redouble their efforts in curbing corruption. We are of the view that unless there are prompts deterrent sanctions against those brought to book; the problem will continue to fester.

  • UK: Flexible working rights extended to all

    Every employee now has the right to request flexible working hours after the government extended the right previously reserved for carers and those looking after children.

    As part of the right, employees can expect their request to be considered “in a reasonable manner” by employers.

    The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said 20 million people now had the right to ask to work flexibly. Unions and employment groups welcomed the move.

    The change in the law, which affects everyone with more than six months’ service, comes less than a week after the government said it would ban employers from stopping staff with zero-hours contracts – under which employees’ hours are not guaranteed – seeking extra work elsewhere.

    “All the evidence shows that it is good for the individuals… but also that it boosts the productivity”

    The government expects the extension of flexible working rights to be of particular interest to older workers approaching retirement and to young workers looking for additional training while they work.

    “Modern businesses know that flexible working boosts productivity and staff morale, and helps them keep their top talent so that they can grow,” said Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.

    “It’s about time we brought working practices bang up-to-date with the needs, and choices, of our modern families.”

    The Chartered Institute of Personnel Development said the change in the law was recognition of the growing importance of flexible working for both employees and employers.

    “Employers increasingly recognise the strong business case for flexible working, including enhanced employee engagement and the attraction and retention of a more diverse workforce,” said the institute’s chief executive Susannah Clements.

    The TUC welcomed the move, but said more needed to be done to ensure that employees’ requests were given fair consideration.

    “When you make a flexible working request you also need a fair hearing, so we should improve things further by giving people a right to challenge an employer’s reason for rejecting a request,” said the TUC’s general secretary Frances O’Grady.

    Many businesses already offer flexible working to their staff.

    “We know from our own membership that more than three quarters of our members offer flexible working but there will be a small number of small businesses who just will not be able to do that, whether it’s through cost or just from balancing their teams,” Liesl Smith from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) told the BBC.

    The FSB has expressed concerns about the additional administrative burden the right to request flexible working might place on small businesses.

    It has said the right could introduce a “negative dynamic” into the workplace, particularly in the case of unsuccessful requests.

     

  • TUC, APC women’s leader, others to Jonathan: rescue the girls or quit

    TUC, APC women’s leader, others to Jonathan: rescue the girls or quit

    The Rivers State chapter of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Women’s Leader of the state chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Evang. Carol Nagbo, demanded yesterday the resignation of the Goodluck Jonathan administration over the abducted schoolgirls from Chibok, Borno State.

    In separate reactions in Port Harcourt, the state capital, the women’s leader and the TUC Chairman, Chika Onugbu, said the Jonathan administration should take more decisive actions to free the Chibok girls or step down.

    The union leader noted that the deteriorating security situation might lead to a bigger problem, if the government fails to take more serious action to free the schoolgirls and other missing Nigerians.

    He said: “The best option is for this government to step down or resign, because the way things are going, it will become a territorial conflict.  The Jonathan government must be fast on any approach to free the innocent girls.”

    Evang. Nagbo said the abduction of the girls and the delay by the Federal Government to free them from their captors indicated that there was no government in Nigeria.

    The politician said the best way to prove the weakness of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the national level was to force it to resign.

    According lives to her, any government that cannot protect the lives of its citizens is not worthy to be trusted.

    Evang. Nagbo said: “The Jonathan government has failed the people; Dr Jonathan should resign. We have no government, and we cannot continue to live in shame in our country. It is a disgrace that the future leaders of this country are somewhere shedding the tears of sorrow because their government has failed in its responsibility.”

  • Fayemi to opponents: declare your assets

    Fayemi to opponents: declare your assets

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has challenged candidates in the governorship election to declare their assets and stop peddling lies that he owns a university somewhere.

    The governor spoke in Ado Ekiti at the 2014 May Day celebration.

    Fayemi said: “I am the first governor in this state who declared his assets publicly. No other governor in this state has ever voluntarily declared it. If you go to the internet, those who are on the internet, google the assets of Kayode Fayemi and his wife, what I own before I became governor I have not added one thing to it and I challenge and dare anybody to come out and bring information to Ekiti people that I own anything, including a block that I have added to my house either at Isan or Ibadan or anywhere else that I have house in the world.”

    On the alleged non-payment of pension, Fayemi said his government does not owe any pension but the purported debt is the arrears of pension owed the pensioner covering a period of 10 years, adding that it is not possible for government to clear the backlog of debt at once.

    The Chairmen of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mr Ayodeji Aluko and Mr Kolawole Olaiya, commended Fayemi for prioritising the welfare of the workers, saying that the present administration has increased salaries about three times.

    Olaiya called for a review of the Revenue Allocation formula saying that the upward review wOULD enable States have enough funds for meaningful development and make the State work for the people.

     

  • May Day: Nigerian workers want improved welfare

    Workers in Nigeria on Thursday joined their counterparts across the world to celebrate this year’s “May Day” popularly known as the workers’ day.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the day is being marked to renew workers agitation for improved working conditions and general welfare.
    The agitation, which started in the United States in 1860, was set aside to commemorate the struggle for eight hours.
    NAN recalls that this year’s is the 168th formal edition, while 68 countries are observing the day which member countries declared a public holiday.
    In Nigeria, the workers converged at the Eagle Square, Abuja, and the 36 state capitals to celebrate the occasion.
    In Osogbo, Osun State, the workers called for improved welfare package and prompt payment of salaries.
    A cross section of public and private workers told NAN in Osogbo that their current monthly emoluments hardly took them home.
    They said that only attractive salary, good working condition, training and retraining of workers could guarantee enhanced productivity.
    The Osun State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Alhaji Saka Adesiyan, called for a review of the salary structure of workers in both public and private sectors so as to meet the present economic situation in the country.
    Adesiyan said that if there was an increase in the workers’ salaries, it would enhance productivity as well as improving the workers’ living standard.
    He said better salary structure as well as good work environment would go a long way in assisting workers to meet their responsibilities.
    Mrs. Sherifat Balogun, a civil servant, said government must ensure prompt payment of salaries and better working condition for workers.
    “We want to use this year workers’ day celebration to appeal to the state government to see to prompt payment of salaries as well as better work condition,” Balogun urged.
    On his part, the chairman of the Trade Union Congress in the state, Mr. Oladele Adetunji, criticised casualisation of workers in some government establishments and the private sector.
    He said the union would continue to agitate for better working conditions for employees.
    In Dutse, the NLC called on the Federal Government and other parties to embrace dialogue as a lasting solution to the security challenges facing the country.
    The state NLC Chairman, Mr. Sulaiman Adamu, made the call in his speech at the 2014 May Day celebration in Dutse.
    “Due to the insecurity ravaging the country, especially the North, we call on the Federal Government and other parties involved to embrace dialogue in order to bring lasting solution.
    “They should consider the lives and property of the people above their interests so as to allow peace to reign,’’ Adamu said.

  • TUC, firm kick off 100,000 housing units for workers

    The Federal Government, through the Trade Union Congress (TUC), in partnership with the Rock of Ages Properties, yesterday began a 100,000 housing units for workers.

    TUC President, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama, noted that with the partnership, there were high expectations that the over 17 million housing deficits in Nigeria would soon be reduced.

    Kaigama said the first phase of the hoyusing units, put at 20,000, would be completed before the end of the year.

    The union leader told reporters that Nigerian workers had continued to suffer under Shylock landlords.

    “You can imagine the workers in Abuja, who are under the hardship of landlords in this city. What we are doing is to curtail the excesses of such landlords.

    “We have more than 17 million housing deficit in this country and the worst hit are Nigerian workers. We have taken our destiny in our hands and we are providing affordable houses for our members.

    “With this developer (Rock of Ages Properties Limited), we are targeting 100,000 housing units. But for now, we are developing 20,000 first in Abuja. This will be delivered before the end of the year. Next year, it will continues. Once we get lands, we’ll develop them.

    “We are developing two lands in Abuja. One is on the airport road, while the other is in Dei Dei, on the Zuba road. All together, we have about 600 hectares in the two locations.

    “Our members are senior workers and we are looking at affordability. With the mortgage scheme we are introducing, you cannot bite more than what you can chew. We are categorising them according to what people can afford.”

    A former TUC president Peter Esele said the union’s intervention would bridge the deficit in the housing sector in the country.

    He said: “You see how majority of our members suffer after retirement. At that age, everything is at a standstill. Once you have a roof over your head, half of your problems are solved. The Federal Mortgage Bank is supporting. We have a repayment plan of up to 25 years.

    “What we are doing is to bridge that huge housing deficit. If the private sector, the government and other relevant agencies contribute their quota, the deficit will be reduced drastically. The government is also giving out small loans to those interested.”

    Executive Chairman of Chicason Group, Dr Alexander Chika Okafor said the project was conceived from a deep concern for Nigerians’ need for affordable housing.

    He said: “In a bid to support the current administration’s transformation egenda of providing and making accessible, good and affordable housing to Nigerians, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Rock of Ages Properties Limited and TUC for the provision of 100,000 housing units nationwide, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    “What we are unveiling is a collection of prestigious apartmentswith contemporary designs of high standard crafted to reflect residents’ expectations of uncompromising quality.”

  • TUC, firm sign N200b project

    Rock of Ages Property Limited, a subsidiary of Chikason Group, a wholly owned Nigeria conglomerate in manufacturing, mining, oil and gas in Vienna and other countries, has entered into agreement with the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to build 100,000 houses in Abuja, Lagos, and other parts of the federation.

    The initial 20,000 housing units comprising two,three and four- bedroom units of bungalows, semi-detached bungalows and apartment blocks will be built in Lugbe and Dei Dei in Abuja within the next six months through a Special Purpose Vehicle called United Workers Housing Scheme under the Rock City Project.

    An Executive Director of the group, Mr. Adike Chux told The Nation that the remaining 80,000units would be spread across the states based on arrangement between the TUC and the various state governments. He said the project was designed to check the challenges faced by private and public servant workers in securing decent accommodation in many states, especially in Abuja, Lagos and other major cities.

    On the modalities to subscribing to the houses, he explained that what a contributor needs is to fill a form and pay an initial 10 per cent of the cost of the house to obtain a provincial offer while the balance would be paid in 20 years.

    He commended the TUC and the government for the initiative and their wisdom in partnering with the private sector, especially those with track record in the sector.

    He hailed the mortgage refinance programme of the government which he said will be an elixir to home ownership against the position where many people are not properly accommodated.

  • TUC decries Senator Abe’s shooting, others

    TUC decries Senator Abe’s shooting, others

    The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has criticised the shooting of Senator Magnus Abe, the lawmaker representing Rivers Southeast Senatorial District, and some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who gathered at the Rivers State College of Arts and Science for a rally.

    In a statement, the President of the union, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama, decried the shooting and clashes in the state. He said they were orchestrated by some politicians to intimidate their opponents before 2015 general elections.

    He blamed the perpetrators.

    He said: ”We are particularly concerned that members of the Rivers State Police Command are allegedly responsible for the shooting.

    ”The police claim they shot no bullet at the venue of the rally, so we wonder who did. One thing for sure: each pre-election year since 1999 has been marred by politically motivated murders and wanton threats to peaceful existence. But for providence the life of Senator Abe might have been wasted. Hopefully, more details on this latest incident will soon unfold.

    “We are also disturbed by reports of proliferation of arms and ammunition in the country. We recall reported assertions by Frank Mbah, spokesman of Nigeria Police Force, that there are over 10 million illegal arms in West Africa and that about 70 per cent of them are in the hands of Nigerians.”

    He further said two million guns were in the hands of civilians – one million registered and the balance illegally held by criminals and others.  If these claims are anything to go by, it means that nobody is safe in this country, he added.

    The congress recalled  the Kebbi State Police Command’s discovery of caches of arms and ammunition buried by unknown persons, thereby confirming reports of massive arms build-up across the country.

    “Also last week, three people were reportedly killed when security agents engaged some unidentified gunmen in a battle to save members of the family of Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano State. If left unchecked, these incidents and their likes could disrupt our hard-earned democracy.

    ”As if to confirm our fears, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has identified the problem of insecurity as one of the major impediments to the conduct of elections in Nigeria. It is our hope that the security challenges in Rivers State, the Northeast and other parts of the country will be resolved before 2015. We certainly do not subscribe to an atmosphere that would render the peaceful conduct of elections impossible and prompt the postponement of the elections,” he said.

    TUC chief calls on the Presidency and other security agencies to take pro-active steps to restore peace and security to the country.

  • 2015: TUC tasks government on security

    The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) on Monday called on the Federal Government to address the issue of security in the country to ensure hitch-free elections in 2015.

    This is contained in a statement signed by the President and Secretary General of the Congress, Bobboi Kaigama and Musa Lawal in Lagos.

    The statement urged security agencies to take proactive steps to re-establish total peace and security in the country.

    “We also advise all politicians to desist from using violence and other unlawful means to attain power.

    “It is the prerogative of God, often expressed through the people’s votes, to give power to whomsoever He pleases,” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted TUC as saying in the statement.

    It stated that the TUC was disturbed by reports of proliferation of arms and ammunition in the country.

    “We recall reported assertions by Mr. Frank Mbah, Spokesman of the Nigeria Police Force that there are over 10 million illegal arms in West Africa and that about seventy per cent of them are in the hands of Nigerians.

    “He (Mbah) further affirmed that two million guns are in the hands of Nigerian civilians – one million registered and the remaining one million illegally held by criminals and other people.

    “If these claims are anything to go by, it means that nobody is safe in this country.”

    According to the statement if all the security challenges are left unchecked, it will disrupt the country’s hard-earned democracy.

     

  • Employment’ll boost economic growth, says TUC

    Employment’ll boost economic growth, says TUC

    The President, Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Bala Kaigama, wants the Federal Government to review the 2014 Human Capital Development Policy, saying that sustainable development is impossible unless economic growth is combined with the creation of decent jobs.

    Kaigama, who spoke with journalists in Lagos, on the economy, argued that tackling the nation’s jobs’ crisis is not easy, adding that it will require bold national policies, private-sector dynamism and an enabling global framework.

    He said: “Sustainable and inclusive development in Nigeria will not be possible unless economic growth is combined with the creation of decent jobs.”

    To minimise the high rate of unemployment in the country, the labour leader estimated that over 10 million new jobs are needed in the labour market, besides those unemployed and are in the labour market.

    He noted that discussions on new employment generation agenda in the 2014 Budget represent a unique opportunity to put job creation in the centre of the new framework.

    “The three tiers of government: federal, state and local government, adopting a stand-alone goal on employment generation this year with clear and measurable indicators, would boost growth and employment opportunities, as well as shifting policy attention and public discourse from quantity to quality of growth, focusing on inclusiveness, generating decent jobs and reducing inequalities.

    “Also, promoting productive sectors through coherent economic and industrial policies as well as expanding social protection to reduce poverty and inequality and enable sustained and inclusive growth would boost decent jobs opportunities for Nigerians,” he added

    Kaigama emphasised the need to strengthen the voice of workers, so as to improve working conditions and ensure a fairer distribution of benefits in 2014, which will be an added value to decent job creations for Nigerians.

    “We are of the view that reforming the nation’s economic governance with a focus on supporting the weakest members of the international community will enhance the development gains from international trade,” he stressed.

    The TUC chief expressed worry about millions of young Nigerians that are unemployed.

    “We all already feel the consequences of jobs crisis in the country as the widespread unemployment diminishes trust in political leadership and government institutions, weakens social cohesion, widens inequality and fosters economic and social instability,” he added.