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Tag: TUC

  • TUC to govt: prepare for flood

    THE Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has urged the government to put modalities in place to check the impending flood predicted by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency(NIMET).

    In a statement its President, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama and Secretry-General Comrade Musa Lawal, said: ‘’It beats the imagination of the Congress that our politicians are busy quarreling, engaging in fisticuffs and casting aspersions on themselves in both electronic and print media just because of 2015 elections at a time when many Nigerians have died on our dilapidated roads and as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency, ocean surges and floods.

    “The Congress and other Nigerians are certainly tired of all the drama and laxity in governance which we consider disgraceful, unhealthy distraction, and a ploy from some quarters to continually deny Nigerians good governance and dividends of our hard-earned democracy.”

    Recently, it was reported that it would take the North over 20 years to recover the farmlands and livestock it lost to floods .

    “Unfortunately, our leaders are apparently oblivious of the boldly-written handwriting on the wall. We wonder what the fate of the economy would be in the next few years if this unpalatable trend continues. And what about the adverse effects of the flight of multinational companies and mass importation of foreign goods and services?”TUC said.

    It warned that if the prediction of the meterology agency that floods may affect about 90 local government areas this year is taken serious by the government, it would not augur well for the nation.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • TUC Housing Estates coming

    The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) is set to end its members housing problems by providing them with affordable houses.

    To actualise the objective, its President, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama, said the Congress is collaborating with national and international partners to get resources to develop the proposed TUC Housing Estates across the country.

    He said: “We have international development partners who intend to bring resources for the development of this vital sector. We have signed Memorandum of Understanding to this effect and very soon, you will begin to see the result.

    “But there is this other option which, after fighting for a very long time, we have been able to resolve. Our members have just been contributing to the National Housing Fund without any form of representation on the board of Federal Mortgage Bank. After meeting with the government, we have come to understand ourselves. Now NLC and TUC are on the board of the bank,” he stated.

    Kaigama said the transport policy of his predecessor, Comrade Peter Esele would be sustained, as his leadership plans to extend the Lagos- based mass transit business to other parts of the country.

    “We intend to provide housing for our teeming members, particularly those in the urban centres and state capitals. We are collaborating with national and international development partners to ensure that within the next one year, we’ll start delivering on our promises.”

    He stressed the need to fulfill all electoral promises to union members.

    He said: “We promised fellow delegates that first and foremost, we will strengthen the national secretariat and embark on the training of staff to make them better workers who can meet international standards. We also want to make very strong presence in Abuja. By God’s grace, within the next few months, we should have a very strong secretariat in Abuja.”

    He called for adjustment of the national minimum wage to conform with inflationary trends.

    He said workers earlier agitated for N50,000 national minimum wage, but got N18,000. That leaves an unsettled wage balance of N32,000.

    He also said: “One aspect of confidence rebuilding is to ensure that issues that come to the front burner are treated with dispatch. For now, what we have to do is to protect the welfare of our members and the general public. We are going to ensure that Nigerian workers who are the wealth creators are not shortchanged in the scheme of things. We must have a fair deal.”

    On the challenge of combining unionism with work, he said: “I am a state government worker and because of my activism I had issues with my governor in Taraba State.

    ‘’Apart from Nasarawa, there is no state in the north paying up to what my state is paying. That was because TUC was under my leadership. We will always protect our members’ interest. But that is not to say that when government has superior point, we will not bow to such. This is not an era of table banging. We will always put our cards on the table and open our minds to other’s views,” he said.

    “Remember that I have been the chairman of Association of Senior Civil Servants in Taraba State, Chairman of Trade Union Congress in Taraba State before I moved on to become the vice president of the association and the president of the association. Now, I am the President of TUC.

     

     

     

     

  • TUC urges govts to avert floods

    TUC urges govts to avert floods

    The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has urged the three tiers of government to check impending floods, which were predicted and reported in the newspapers.

    In a statement yesterday, the union’s President, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama, said: “It beats the imagination of the congress that our politicians are busy quarrelling, engaging in fisticuffs and casting aspersions on one another in electronic and print media, just because of 2015 elections, at a time many Nigerians have died on our dilapidated roads and as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency, ocean surges and floods.

    “The congress and other Nigerians are tired of all the drama and laxity in governance, which we consider disgraceful, unhealthy distraction and a ploy from some quarters to continually deny Nigerians good governance and dividends of our hard-earned democracy.

    “In Rivers State, for instance, it is the tax payers’ money that will be used to fix whatever the lawmakers damaged during the free-for-all, which took place on the floor of the Assembly recently.

    “Just at the weekend, it was reported that it would take the North over 20 years to recover what has been lost since the menace of the Boko Haram insurgency started.

    “Last year, several lives were lost and several states of the federation lost farmlands and livestock to floods, a situation which – from all indications – might lead to food scarcity this year.

    “Unfortunately, our leaders are apparently oblivious of the boldly-written handwriting on the wall. We wonder what the fate of the economy would be in the next few years, if this unpalatable trend continues. And what about the adverse effects of the flight of multinational companies and mass importation of foreign goods and services?

    “In saner environments, the prediction of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), that floods may affect as many as 90 local government areas in the country, this year, would keep leaders with conscience awake, but not in our clime. Our leaders’ medicine-after-death approach has never and can never take the country forward.

    “Are they waiting for the floods to occur so they can send their condolences and relief materials? Are they waiting for it to happen before action can be taken? These are the pertinent questions bugging the congress.

    “We feel pained that the very essence of governance is being defeated. Indeed, it is the anticipation of congress that Nigerians are much the wiser now and will no longer cast their votes for people who, over the years, have betrayed the trust reposed in them.”

     

     

     

     

     

  • Minister, TUC condole with NUJ, bereaved families

    The Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have sympathised with the President, Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mallam Garba Mohammed and the members over the death of their colleagues last weekend, describing the incident as unfortunate.

    The Minister said: “I received with shock the sudden death of active journalists cut down in their prime ages by the cold hand of death in a ghastly (fatal) motor accident in Ilesa, Osun State. I share in the pains and identify with NUJ and the families of the deceased in this moment of grief.”

    In a statement, TUC said: “It is with great shock and sadness that the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria received the untimely death of members of the NUJ, who died in a motor accident that occurred in Ilesa, Osun State. Indeed, the deceased can best be described as heroes, who dedicated their professional lives towards the progress of the country.

    “The congress shares in this pain and earnestly identifies with the families of the bereaved and journalists throughout the country. It is unfortunate that the renowned journalists had their lives cut short in their prime. It was a big shock to the congress.

    “We, however, wish to use this opportunity to charge the government at all levels to deliver the dividends of democracy by fixing the roads and also ensuring that all practicing journalists are insured. Once again, may Allah grant the NUJ and bereaved families the fortitude to bear the losses.”

  • TUC chief seeks skills for youths

    TUC chief seeks skills for youths

    ACQUISITION of entrepreneurial skills has been identified as one way of curbing youth vulnerability to HIV/AIDS.

    Towards this end, the Federal Government has been charged to support young men and women to get skills.

    Addressing reporters in Lagos, President, Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama, who advocated the idea, said the government could partner the private sector through funding to train and enhance the business development skills of unemployed youths, many of who are riding commercial motor cycles, driving commercial taxi or roaming the streets in search of jobs to become entrepreneurs.

    He said: ”We believe that if young men and women are economically empowered, it will reduce their vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, make them useful to the economic development of Nigeria.”

    “There is a need to tackle the underlying factors that lead to risk-taking behaviour of the youth in the country, and to incorporate HIV prevention efforts into a wider approach to curbing the high rate of unemployment,” he said.

    According to the TUC’s President , majority of the country’s youths are in the informal sector, where there are few opportunities and are frequently neglected in the national HIV response, partly because they are often hard to reach.

    “We call on the three tiers of government, the federal, states and the local government to launch an initiative targeting young people with an approach that looks beyond traditional way of tackling unemployment, but also creating jobs and making the youths self-employed.

    “The government training programmes targeting young people would help to give young people skills and opportunities to become more self-reliant, and reduce their HIV vulnerability in the country because an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.

    “The government training project would help to realise enormous untapped potentials among the youth in the country, especially with the support of a small loan fund for the youth who have been trained and developed through an acceptable business plan to make them become entrepreneurs,” he said.

  • Senate kills six-year tenure

    Senate kills six-year tenure

    •Legislators weaken NLC, TUC

    The Senate yesterday killed the proposal for six-year single tenure for president and governors as it voted on recommendations for further alteration of the 1999 Constitution.

    The lawmakers also rejected local government autonomy and mayoral status for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    It curiously voted ‘yes’ to make any woman eligible for marriage even if she is underage.

    It endorsed a proposal that Presidential assent shall no more be required for the purpose of altering the Nigerian Constitution.

    It also approved a proposal that a presidential or governor’s assent would not be required after a bill passed and transmitted to the president’s or governor had stayed for 30 days with the president or governor as the case may be.

    It granted financial autonomy to State Houses of Assembly.

    The Senate also endorsed first line charge for State Independent Electoral Commission, State Houses of Assembly, Auditor-General of the State and State Judiciary, but failed to approve first line charge for the Attorney-General .

    Before the historic voting began, Senate President David Mark reminded senators that they were on the threshold of history.

    Mark told the lawmakers, that for any clause to pass, 73 yes votes were needed.

    “I urge every Senator to vote according to his conscience. Every voting will accordingly be reflected on the votes and proceedings of the Senate. We have gone through this before and because of the importance of the issues slated for voting, we are not to resume debate again. You must, therefore, endeavour to vote according to your conscience,” Mark said.

    On presidential assent for Constitution amendment, the Senate voted that “for the purpose of altering the provisions of this Constitution, the assent of the President shall not be required.”

    In all, 95 senators endorsed the proposal while three opposed it.

    Clause 4 which sought the alteration of Section 29 of the Constitution almost threw works. In the upper chamber into turmoil.

    The Section is on renunciation of citizenship.

    It states (29)(1) “Any citizen of Nigeria of full age who wishes to renounce his Nigerian citizenship shall make a declaration in the prescribed manner for the renunciation. (4) For the purpose of subsection (1) of this section (a) ‘full age” means the age of eighteen years and above (b) any woman who is married shall be deemed to be of full age.”

    The Constitution review Committee recommended that the Section 29(4)(b) should be deleted.

    The Senate voted 75 ‘yes’ and 13 ‘no’ to delete the Section.

    The endorsement of the clause by the Senate became a battle between Senator Ahmed Sani Yerima (Zamfara West) and other senator.

    Yerima said the clause is against Islamic law and insisted that it should not be deleted.

    He noted that declaring maturity age for women is against Islamic law.

    He said the Constitution forbids the National Assembly from making law on Islamic matters.

    Yerima insisted that a second vote should be taken on the passed clause.

    Mark said he is not an expert on Islamic law and added that if Islamic scholars raise the same sentiment, it should be revisited.

    But Senator Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central) took up the matter from Yerima.

    He accused the Senate President of double standard.

    Mark took exception to the accusation and reiterated that he had been very consistent in the consideration of the clauses.

    He wondered why the issue should be made a personal matter.

    Following insistence by Yerima, Mark agreed that the clause should be revisited.

    Mark said, “Once more, because of the serious nature of the laws we make and because we want our actions to stand the test of time, we will revisit the issue raised by Yerima.

    “This is because of the sensitivity of issues that has to do with religion, we should revisit it so that we take another vote on it.

    “But Yerima is a member of the Constitution Review Committee, he should have raised the issue at that level.”

    Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu who chaired the review committee said that the clause has nothing to do with religion.

    Ekweremadu added that the Constitution Review Committee felt that a woman should be old enough to renounce Nigerian citizenship.

    He recalled that Yerima said the clause is unconstitutional at the review level but insisted that the clause has nothing to do with religion.

    A total of 99 Senators registered to vote on the controversial clause.

    The repeated vote showed that 60 Senators voted to retain the clause while 35 voted to delete it as recommended by the review committee.

    After the vote Mark said: “Once you are married, you are deemed to be of age whether you are one or two years it doesn’t really matter.”

    Immediately the clause was killed, there was outrage in the gallery as many spectators felt that the upper chamber had endorsed under age marriage.

    Yerima was later shouted down when he attempted to thank Senators for voting to retain the clause.

    On assent to a bill, the Senate passed alteration to Section 58 by inserting a new subsection “5A” which states: “Where the President neither signifies that he assents or that he withholds assent, the bill shall at the expiration of thirty days become law.”

    A total of 100 Senators registered to vote, 89 voted ‘yes’ while 11 voted ‘no’.

    The Senate also approved the alteration of the Section 100 by inserting a new subsection “5a” which reads: “Where the Governor neither signifies that he assents or that he withholds assent, the bill shall at the expiration of thirty days become law”

    On Section 81, financial autonomy to Attorney General of the Federation.

    A total of 100 Senators registered to vote.

    While 59 Senators voted that financial autonomy should be granted the Attorney General of the Federation, 41 voted ‘no’

    The clause failed to pass.

    A total of 83 Senators voted ‘yes’ to grant the Auditor-General of the Federation, 16 Senators voted ‘no’ while two abstained.

    On Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Committee, 99 Senators voted ‘yes’ to grant it autonomy while two voted ‘no’.

    On National Human Rights Commission, the upper chamber voted 94 to six to grant the commission financial autonomy.

    The senate also approved that all labour matters would henceforth be handled at the state levels.

    Observers contended that this new development would weaken the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) at the national level.

    The clause which states that “Any person who has held office as President or Deputy President of the Senate, Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, shall be entitled to pension for life at a rate equivalent to the annual salary of the incumbent President or Deputy President of the Senate, Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives was passed with a vote of 86 ‘yes’ and 13 ‘no’ with one abstention.

    Mark jokingly said that the clause was endorsed ‘overwhelmingly.’

    The Senate endorsed financial autonomy for State Independent Electoral Commission; State Houses of Assembly; Auditor-General of the State; and State Judiciary.

    But the lawmaker opposed first line charge Attorney General of State.

    The Senate voted 86 against,14 in favour and one abstention to nail the coffin of the clause on six year single tenure for President and Governors.

    On separation of the office of the Attorney General of the Federation from the office of Minister of Justice, the Senate voted 62 in favour and 35 against.

    The clause failed because at least 73 votes in favour were required.

    On direct payment to local governments from the Federation Account, 59 Senators voted in favour while 38 voted against while two abstained.

    The clause failed.

    The clause which sought to confer the power on the Attorney General to direct investigation in certain cases was killed with 62 Senators against and 31 in favour.

    The Senate killed the clause for Mayoral status for the FCT with 57 votes in favour, 39 against and two abstention.

    The Senate failed to remove the National Youth Service Corps Decree 1993 from the Constitution.

    It also failed to remove the Public Complaint Commission Act, National Security Agencies Act and the Land Use Act from the Constitution.

    It endorsed the changed Afikpo North and South Local Government Areas to Afikpo and Edda Local Governments.

    It also endorsed the change of Egbado North and Egbado South LGAs to Yewa North and Yewa South LGAs.

    Labour was deleted from the Exclusive List to the Concurrent List with 77 votes in favour and 17 against.

    Two Senators abstained.

    The Senate also voted in favour of Railways being placed on the Concurrent List.

    The votes tied at 72 Senators in favour and 23 against.

    Mark broke the tie by voting in favour of Railways going to the Concurrent List.

    The Lawmakers also removed pension matters from the Exclusive List but it failed to remove Prisons from the Exclusive List.

    Despite explanation from Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba and Senator Umaru Dahiru that the removal will solve the problem of prison congestion, the Senators voted against the removal.

    The Senate also voted against removing the Chief Justice of Nigeria and other serving Judicial Officers as Chairman and members respectively of the Federal Judicial Service Commission.

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Senator Umaru Dahiru said that the CJN, Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar, wrote to request the status quo be maintained.

    Ekweremadu also informed the Senate that the CJN wrote to say that she was not comfortable with the clause.

    He said that the clause is before the Senate to take a decision on the matter.

    Mark also said that not withstanding the letter of the CJN, the Senate will vote on the clause.

    The clause was defeated with a vote of 72 against and 26 in favour.

    Mark voted against the removal of the CJN as Chairman of Federal Judicial Service Commission.

    At the end of the voting, Mark thanked Senators and declared: “Today is a historic day in the history of Nigeria.”

    “We voted for those issues that we think will make democracy to go on and make democracy to mature.”

    He thanked the Senate Committee on Constitution Review saying: “What ever sentiments they expressed, we have put them to test today.”

    Mark told the Senate that today would be devoted for valedictory session for the late Senator Pius Ewherido.

     

  • TUC condemns Rivers Assembly crisis

    TUC condemns Rivers Assembly crisis

    The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has described the crisis which broke out in Rivers State House of Assembly on Tuesday as “unparliamentary.”

    The congress stated this in a statement signed by Mr. Bobboi Kaigama and Musa Lawal, its President and General Secretary respectively, on Thursday in Lagos.

    It said that while Nigerians were yet to recover from the shock occasioned by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) imbroglio, another crisis has come from the Rivers lawmakers.

    The congress said it was sad that the world watched agape as two factions in the assembly openly engaged in fisticuffs, and used dangerous weapons.

    “The spectacle of honourable legislators turned pugilists can best be described as very dishonourable and a show of shame.

    “They are proving that politics in Nigeria is seen more as a most lucrative business than a call to service, “the News Agency of Nigeria quoted TUC as saying in the statement.

    The congress said the reasons for the crisis were not far from interests and aspirations in the 2015 elections.

    It observed that the action of the lawmakers showed there was deep corruption in the nation’s political sector.

    “The conclusion of any onlooker will be that the lawmakers have compromised with some form of political inducement or the promise thereof from either of the political gladiators.

    “Little wonder that the honourable members cannot manage themselves properly and proved that they are very dishonourable, “it added.

  • Kaigama emerges TUC new president

    Mr. Bobboi Kaigama has been elected as the new President of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC).

    Kaigama defeated Mr. Babatunde Ogun of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria with 356 votes in the election held on Saturday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Ogun got 314 votes in the peaceful election that was monitored by all past presidents of TUC.

    The new TUC President, who is the President of Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, is succeeding Mr. Peter Esele.

    In his acceptance speech, Kaigama said the new leadership would work with the government and private sector employers to improve the welfare of workers.

    “The mandate given to us is to be good ambassadors so that we will better the lot of Nigerian workers,” he said.

    Kaigama assured that the new executive would build on the existing foundation in the provision of housing for workers and a new secretariat for the congress.

    He said that his team had developed a blue print on the welfare of workers and ways to address various challenges.

     

  • TUC president: Two contestants step down

    There is a new twist in the race to the office of the President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) soon to be vacated by Mr Peter Esele as some of the major contestants have stepped down.

    Three senior staff union presidents were initially billed to slug it out at the polls.

    The aspirants, President of the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions, (ASSBIFI), Comrade Sunday Olusoji Salako and Comrade Babatunde Abdulrahman, President of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (FOBTOB) offered to step down for Babatunde Ogun, President of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).

    According to sources, the three union presidents met in Lagos and harmonised the various contestable positions ahead of this week’s Ninth Triennial Delegates’Conference/election of the group which holds this Thursday.

    Under the umbrella of the Harmony Group, Salako is seeking to become first Deputy President-General, while Abdulrahman is contesting to become the TUC Treasurer.

    With this development, the race for the presidency of TUC has been narrowed down to Ogun and Kaigama Boboi, President of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN).

    At a ceremony to present the 13 candidates under the Harmony Group, Ogun said if elected, the priority of the group would be to deliver TUC secretariat structure with facilities and responsive personnel to move the union to the next level.

    He promised to make TUC focused with data, research and analysis in line with the dynamics of global economic realities, adding that he would make TUC a centre that trains, develops and impacts on legislation, policy review and drive, among others.

     

  • Vacate shut council-NLC, TUC warn Police

    •Development in Rivers ominous and dangerous – Sagay

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) in Rivers State have asked the police to vacate the secretariat of Obio/Akpor Council in the state.

    This followed the judgment of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt.

    Justice H.A. Nganjiwa, in the judgment ordered the Police Force to vacate the premises of the council.

    The Joint Public Service Negotiating Council (JPSNC) of the two unions at a meeting in Port Harcourt to review the situation at the council directed all workers of Obio/Akpor to return to work immediately.

    The JPSNC resolved that ” in line with the rule of law and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Inspector General of Police and the Commissioner of Police Rivers State Command should immediately direct their men to vacate the premises of Obio/Akpor Council Secretariat.”

    It appealed to the local government authorities to “pay the workers for the period of the lock out by the Nigeria Police Rivers State Command. We took the position because the workers were ready to work, but were prevented to go to their places of work by the Police.”

    Besides, it advised the State Police Command to focus on its “constitutional duties of protecting lives and property, instead of tacitly taking side on matters that are purely political.”

    Meanwhile, prominent lawyer, Professor Itse Sagay (SAN), has condemned the serial attacks on Governor Rotimi Amaechi by political forces opposed to him as ‘a major assault on Nigeria’s so-called democracy.’

    Recent events in Rivers State, he said, have shown that there really is no democracy or federalism in Nigeria.

    Prof Sagay, in a statement said: “The sorts of events that have been occurring recently in Rivers State have a threatening and intimidating effect and are unworthy of any society governed by the Rule of Law. When any Nigerian is threatened and his environment surrounded by the sort of dark clouds and storms being witnessed in Rivers State, it is democracy and democratic rights in the whole country that is endangered.”

    He said the events in the state following reports that Amaechi might seek to contest as a presidential running mate in the 2015 election are ‘most disturbing, ominous and dangerous.’

    “Whether this rumoured ambition is true or not, it is totally irrelevant. The truth is that every Nigerian over the age of 40 is entitled to aspire to be president or vice president of Nigeria. This constitutional entitlement is not in any way qualified by the party or zonal relationship between an incumbent president and the aspirant.

    “Any Nigerian, more so, a high official like a governor, is entitled to have presidential ambition. It is his constitutional and democratic right. To lay a siege on him and his state because of rumours of vice presidential interest is a major assault in our so-called democracy.”