The Nation Newspaper

Tag: welfare

  • Agitation for fuel attendants’ welfare ongoing, says NUPENG

    Agitation for fuel attendants’ welfare ongoing, says NUPENG

    The agitation for improved welfare package for over 300,000 petrol attendants in the country is ongoing, the Chairman, Southwest branch of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Mr. Tokunboh Korodo, has  said.

    He said the body is not resting on its oars in ensuring that fuel attendants get improved welfare package and live a good life, saying N18, 000 is being considered as the minimum salary for petrol attendants nationwide. He said the workers will be better for it if everything goes according to plans.

    He said inability of stakeholders to reach a compromise has slowed down discussions on the issue,  adding that efforts to get the dealers to understand the predicament of petrol attendants and further increase their salaries have proved difficult, but it is accomplishable.

    Korodo said: “Discussions are ongoing on the issue of increasing the emoluments of petrol attendants and others working at fuel retail outlets across the country. Several meetings have been held on the issue because we believe that the workers’ welfare must be improved.”

    The National Chairman, Petrol Tanker Drivers arm of NUPENG, Mr. Akanni Oladiti said efforts are being made to reposition the downstream sector of the oil and gas for growth. He said petrol tanker drivers are being trained to be more professional in their conduct, stressing that the training would be nationwide.

  • ‘We prioritise workers’ welfare’

    Workers in the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT) have been assured that their welfare will continue to receive the highest attention under the present administration as all necessary measures have been put in place to ensure the sustainability of an enduring welfare package for them.

    FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello gave the assurance  in  Abuja during the first Labour Day celebration of this Administration.

    The minister eulogised the workers for their remarkable contributions to nation building, adding that Labour is the goose that lays the golden egg.

    He pointed out that the Federal Capital Territory Administration has evolved various policies intended to ensure adequate welfare and conducive working environment for the work force.

    According to a statement issued by the Special Assistant ( Media ), Abubakar Sani, the minister said: “I make bold to say that, because of the high premium we place on workers’ welfare, this administration ensures regular payment of salaries and allowances to our workers; in the same vein we have ensured that housing allowances are paid as at when due, while deserving staff have received their promotions. Aside these, my administration places a high premium on staff training and retraining. This is with a view to giving incentives to our workers and ensuring optimal service delivery”.

    Bello said May Day is celebrated globally to mark the sacrifices of workers towards building a better world, adding that it highlights the contributions which workers have consistently made to ensure a world where values of social justice and employment rights are fully protected.

    He noted that the the theme for this year’s celebration which is “The Working Class and the Quest for Socio-Economic Revival.” is, indeed, very appropriate and timely, considering the state of our national affairs.

    Bello, however, lamented that this year’s May Day is being celebrated at a time of serious downturn in the nation’s economy with international oil prices sliding downwards and adversely affecting our national revenue. A situation which according to him was further worsened by corruption and mismanagement of the past.

    ”Being mindful of this situation, President Muhammadu Buhari articulated a Change Agenda that focuses on anti-corruption, fiscal discipline and diversification of the economy. In line with this, the Federal Government has evolved several policy frameworks designed to breathe a new lease of life into the economy,” he said.

    Malam Bello said the FCT administration would continue partner with Labour in the efforts towards restoring the old glory of our great nation, stressing that his administration will not allow the issue of paucity of funds to “make us abdicate our responsibility to Labour as the FCTA will continue to be a front runner on the issues of workers’ welfare”.

    Bello then urged Labour to continue to support government in these difficult times.

     

  • Improve workers’ welfare, govt urged

    Improve workers’ welfare, govt urged

    Union leaders have urged the Federal Government to give priority to workers’ welfare.

    The unionists lamented that workers’ welfare was poor across the country.

    The President, National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Alhaji Ibrahim Khaleel, urged the three tiers of government to take necessary steps to improve workers’ welfare.

    According to him, some state governments are owing workers 10 months’ salaries. “I urge government to step in and address our immediate problem, which is the inability of government to pay workers’ salaries as and  when due,” he said. He lamented that government has failed in the payment of workers’ salaries, particularly local governmen employees.

    Describing it as a serious challenge, Khaleel said President Muhammadu Buhari needed to make good the promise he made when he was sworn in last year. “I recall he promised to address issues in the local governments to make them more functional,” he said.

    He urged workers to seek effective ways of ensuring service delivery across the county to create more wealth.

    The Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), FCT Chapter, Mr.  Amaechi Lawrence, decried the high cost of living in the territory and urged the FCT minister to look into it and provide more affordable houses for civil and public servants.

    He also urged the government to build more roads to reduce the traffic on the Nyanya-Mararaba Road.

    The Chairman, Nigeria Automobile Technicians Association (NATA), Mr. John Gabriel, said government should look into the issue of fuel scarcity and put an end to it.

    “We want Nigeria to be a better place; there is also fuel shortage intermittently; so the prices of things are jacked up, even the cost of maintaining one’s car becomes higher.

    “For this reason, many people park their cars at home, leaving our members with no job and no money to take home for our families,’’ Gabriel said.

    The Chairman, National Union of Hotels and Personal Service Workers, Mr Jankat Pius, urged the Federal Government to immediately start implementing the 2016 budget, noting that the late passage of the budget is already affecting Nigerians negatively.

    “There is no money in circulation and everything is hard in the country; I know good things don’t come easy but I believe government can do something to make the life of the people better,’’ Pius said.

  • ‘We prioritise workers’ welfare’

    Workers in the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT) have been assured that their welfare will continue to receive the highest attention under the present administration as all necessary measures have been put in place to ensure the sustainability of an enduring welfare package for them.

    FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello gave the assurance  in  Abuja during the first Labour Day celebration of this Administration.

    The minister eulogised the workers for their remarkable contributions to nation building, adding that Labour is the goose that lays the golden egg.

    He pointed out that the Federal Capital Territory Administration has evolved various policies intended to ensure adequate welfare and conducive working environment for the work force.

    According to a statement issued by the Special Assistant ( Media ), Abubakar Sani, the minister said: “I make bold to say that, because of the high premium we place on workers’ welfare, this administration ensures regular payment of salaries and allowances to our workers; in the same vein we have ensured that housing allowances are paid as at when due, while deserving staff have received their promotions. Aside these, my administration places a high premium on staff training and retraining. This is with a view to giving incentives to our workers and ensuring optimal service delivery”.

    Bello said May Day is celebrated globally to mark the sacrifices of workers towards building a better world, adding that it highlights the contributions which workers have consistently made to ensure a world where values of social justice and employment rights are fully protected.

    He noted that the the theme for this year’s celebration which is “The Working Class and the Quest for Socio-Economic Revival.” is, indeed, very appropriate and timely, considering the state of our national affairs.

    Bello, however, lamented that this year’s May Day is being celebrated at a time of serious downturn in the nation’s economy with international oil prices sliding downwards and adversely affecting our national revenue. A situation which according to him was further worsened by corruption and mismanagement of the past.

    ”Being mindful of this situation, President Muhammadu Buhari articulated a Change Agenda that focuses on anti-corruption, fiscal discipline and diversification of the economy. In line with this, the Federal Government has evolved several policy frameworks designed to breathe a new lease of life into the economy,” he said.

    Malam Bello said the FCT administration would continue partner with Labour in the efforts towards restoring the old glory of our great nation, stressing that his administration will not allow the issue of paucity of funds to “make us abdicate our responsibility to Labour as the FCTA will continue to be a front runner on the issues of workers’ welfare”.

    Bello then urged Labour to continue to support government in these difficult times.

     

  • Improve workers’ welfare, govt urged

    Improve workers’ welfare, govt urged

    Union leaders have urged the Federal Government to give priority to workers welfare.

    The unionists, who spoke with The Nation, noted that workers’ welfare was poor across the country.

    The President, National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Alhaji Ibrahim Khaleel, urged the three tiers of government to take necessary measures to improve workers’ welfare.

    According to him, some state governments are owing workers 10 months’ salaries. “I urge government to step in and address our immediate problem, which is the inability of government to pay workers’ salaries as and  when due,” he said, noting that government has failed in the payment of workers’ salaries, particularly the local governments.

    Describing it as a serious challenge, Khaleel said the president needed to make good the promise he made when he was sworn in last year. “I recall he promised to address issues in the local governments to make them more functional,” he said.

    He urged workers to seek effective ways of ensuring service delivery across the county to create more wealth.

    The Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), FCT chapter, Mr.  Amaechi Lawrence, decried the high cost of living in the territory and urged the FCT Minister to look into it and provide more affordable houses for civil and public servants.

    He also urged the government to build more roads to reduce the traffic on the Nyanya-Mararaba Road.

    The Chairman, Nigeria Automobile Technicians Association (NATA), Mr. John Gabriel, said government should look into the issue of fuel scarcity and put an end to it.

    “We want Nigeria to be a better place; there is also no fuel intermittently; so the prices of things are jacked up, even the cost of maintaining one’s car becomes higher.

    “For this reason, many people park their cars at home, leaving our members with no job and no money to take home for our families,’’ Gabriel said.

    The Chairman, National Union of Hotels and Personal Service Workers, Mr Jankat Pius, urged the Federal Government to immediately start implementing the 2016 budget, noting that the late-passage of the budget is already affecting Nigerians negatively.

    “There is no money in circulation and everything is hard in the country; I know good things don’t come easy but I believe government can do something to make the life of the people better,’’ Pius said.

  • Civil society group lauds Ayade for improving workers welfare

    Civil society group lauds Ayade for improving workers welfare

    A Civil Society Group, Coalition of Civil Society and Media Executives for Policy Stability (COCMEP) at the weekend commended Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade for setting the pace in workers’ welfare improvement.

    A statement by Comrade Innocent Ebirim Okadigbo President, COCMEP described the payment of Cross River State workers’ May, 2016 salary on the first day  of the month as a “pleasant and motivating surprise.”

    COCMEP urged the workers’- friendly governor to sustain the culture of timely and prompt payment of workers’ salary as this will multiply commitment, dedication, performance, discipline and productivity.

    Okadigbo described the award bestowed by NLC on Governor Ayade as “the most labour friendly Governor in the country” to be most befitting and truthful because no governor has surpassed Ayade in prompt and timely payment of workers salary. He described Ayade as a motivator, trail blazer, role model, galvanizer and successful manager in human resource development.

    He urged other governors and employers of labour to emulate the Ayade’s model in workers welfare and the Cross River State workers to reciprocate the kind gesture by observing public service and work ethics in their respective places of work.

  • Welfare ‘ll continue to receive priority attention, says Wike

    Welfare ‘ll continue to receive priority attention, says Wike

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has assured that the welfare of workers will continue to receive priority attention.

    In his goodwill message to Rivers workers yesterday, Wike lauded the workforce for diligently contributing to his administration’s efforts to build a new Rivers state.

    The Rivers governor, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, urged workers in the state to remain committed to the ideals of selfless service and development, stating that the massive development being witnessed across the state would be sustained.

    He also thanked the workers for the unflinching support for his administration, since his assumption of office on May 29 last year.

    Wike gave an assurance that Rivers workers would continue to enjoy key positions in his administration, since he considered them as critical to the attainment of set goals in the state’s development agenda.

  • ASUU tasks UNILAG on members’ welfare

    ASUU tasks UNILAG on members’ welfare

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Lagos Chapter, on Friday urged the institution’s authorities to improve on the welfare of its members.

    The union’s Chairman, Dr Adelaja Odukoya, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, expressed satisfaction with the authorities’ attitude toward provision of an enabling environment for effective teaching and learning in the university.

    He, however, said there were still concerns in the area of welfare of the union’s members.

    “You know before now we had issues with the university authorities, which, to an extent, has been largely resolved.

    “The major challenge we are facing today as a union is that of accommodation for our members.

    “A situation whereby a lecturer will be coming from far distance every morning to carry out his or her mandate every day has its effects on quality service delivery.

    “I know it could be better and that is why we are calling on the school authorities to look into the issue and seek ways of finding a lasting solution to it,’’ the don said.

    Odukoya said that one must have enough rest and less stress for his body to function well, and for him to be at his best.

    He said the conclusion of daily academic activities late at night could amount to a disservice, not only to the lecturers, but also to the students and the university at large.

    Odukoya, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Political Science, urged the university authorities to reconsider their stand on the issue of annual leave for the union’s members.

    He said that a lot of the lecturers were unable to go for their annual leave because of the various programmes that were being run in the institution.

    “I still want the authorities to expedite action too in this area because we need the leave once in a while to rest, and to also do some other personal things.’’

    The don said that the lecturers were doing a lot in the area of self-development by way of attending workshops and other developmental programmes.

    Odukoya said plans were underway to organise leadership training for ASUU members in the university.

    “The training is expected to hold in the various chapters of our universities nationwide.

    “We are yet to have any particular date for the training, but as soon as we get directive from the national body, we shall commence,’’ he said.

  • Welfare first

    •Nigerians deserve the respite promised by the budget, but government must work out the details carefully so that the purpose is not defeated

    The general outline of this year’s federal budget shows that the Buhari administration recognises that the welfare of citizens is the primary purpose of governance. This accords with the directive in section 14 of the 1999 Constitution. Nigerians have groaned for too long under the yoke of governments that tended to enrich a few at the expense of many.

    The prospects have even become more frightening as the price of crude oil, on which the economy is dependent, has continued a free fall in the past year. Consequently, too, the pressure on the Naira has a deleterious effect on the national currency, thus tilting up the cost of goods and services across the land. While the people are told to tighten their belts, the rulers feed fat on the common purse, drill holes in the treasury and siphon funds out of the country to acquire property in Europe and the United States of America.

    As a result, public education has collapsed, healthcare is no longer affordable by the majority and food is beyond the reach of many. It is therefore heart-warming that the government intends, this year, to alter the deformed structure of the economy by paying attention to the plight of the dispossessed. In schools, it plans to introduce free meals in recognition of the inability of parents to provide nutritious meals for their children and wards. Many pupils who are otherwise brilliant are unable to cope with learning because they come to school on empty stomach. Strange ailments have begun to assail the young because they are introduced at very tender ages to cruel feeding formulae that fall short of the traditional three square meals a day.

    The Buhari government deserves commendation for realising this and redirecting attention to correcting the anomaly.

    Economists and non-economists alike have called attention to the time- bomb in the growing army of the unemployed. State policies have turned agile, dynamic and promising young graduates into destitute. There is anger in the land and as the clock ticks, the danger of explosion of the state structure becomes more real. The plan to pay a token of five thousand Naira to the unemployed is therefore a step in the right direction. In addition to stemming anger and hunger, it would help reflate the economy.

    In accordance with the manifesto of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the government has announced plans to employ 500,000 teachers all over the country as a palliative to the raging unemployment fire. It would also help raise the standard in public schools nationwide.

    While waiting for a breakdown of the budget, we laud the underlining principles as they tend to give effect to the Principles and Fundamental Directives of State Policy. The spirit of the constitution tends to emphasise that Nigeria is expected to be run as a welfare state, but this has been implemented in the breach over the years. Under the guise that the fund is unavailable, the people have been denied the basic necessities of life, while the few who find their way into government or the corridors of power turn themselves into parasites and leaches. The ongoing arms deal probe has exposed how the common patrimony is shared among the elite. It has shown that, if prudently managed, Nigeria has enough to cater for the citizens.

    However, we call on the government to carefully work out the details as ill-digested policies could hurt the oppressed and repressed and thwart the good intentions of the government.

  • People with disability seek welfare package

    Disabled persons under the aegis of The Niger Delta Coalition of Persons with Disability (NIDECOP) have lamented gross marginalisation by the governments and their agencies in the region, and called for inclusion in all governments’ welfare packages for the citizenry, including oversea scholarships.

    In a statement by their President/National Coordinator, David Enogho, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State ahead of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities’ celebration December 3, they demanded automatic employment for their graduate and qualified members and vocational training for others.

    They said this would assist in bringing their plights to the front burner. The PLWDs noted that poor infrastructural development of the region worsens their condition as the poor state of roads and the designs restricts them from having access to most public places.

    The statement reads: ”The Niger Delta region provides the resources that sustain the economy of our great country, Nigeria. However, it is sad to note that a very large proportion of the population of the region are living in extreme poverty, no good shelter, no employment and good roads.

    “The underdevelopment of the region has compounded the challenges faced by us as persons with Disabilities. We are forced to live in inappropriate conditions. We experience hell while on earth as a result of the unwillingness and neglect by those in positions of authority to evolve functional and sustainable mechanism to address both the human and infrastructural development of the people of the Niger Delta.

    “Existing facilities are not accessible to us and government at all levels is yet to develop a blueprint that will adequately correct these human imposed barriers to our development.

    “We are constrained to ask if we are budgeted for by any government. The society which ordinarily ought to care for us has placed us in a very handicapped and disadvantaged position.

    “It is a known fact that several interventionist agencies formed with the sole aim of developing the region, have in turn failed us, none has done any meaningful thing to improve on our welfare and well-being as persons with disability living in a peculiar terrain.”