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Tag: workers

  • Health workers to suspend strike Tuesday

    Health workers to suspend strike Tuesday

    The Minister of Health, Professor. Isaac Adewole and his Minister of State, Dr. Osagie Ehanire on Saturday stayed away from the resumed conciliatory meeting between government and striking health workers aimed at calling off the 10-day old strike by the workers.

    However, the union officials said they have suspended the strike in principle, stressing that they must however take the outcome of the meeting to their NEC for approval before making a public statement on the suspension.

    Chairman of JOHESU, Biobelemoye Joy Josiah however told newsmen after the meeting that they hope to officially suspend the strike after their NEC meeting on Tuesday 

    He said that members of the union leadership are expected to arrive Abuja for a meeting on Tuesday to ractify the agreement reached

    The workers under the auspices of the Joint Health Sector Unions had declared what they described as “Operation Alligator bite” to compel the government to meet their demands which they said have lingered on side 2012.

    The meeting which started at about 10.50 am and was expected to last for about two hours or less dragged on for several hours, ending at 6.38 pm as both parties failed to arrive at a consensus on almost all the issues slated for discussion.

    The Nation learnt that the government team requested the workers to give government about six weeks to address some of the observation raised after their initial meeting which took place on Tuesday, September 26, especially those that has financial implications as some of them will require the input of the Federal Executive Council and  presidential approval.

    The government team was said to have informed the workers that the request for some time to meet the financial demands by the unions is to ensure that the government does not disappoint them since government need to follow certain processes to actualise their demands.

    Addressing newsmen after the about seven hours meeting, Professor Ocheni said all issues presented by the unions were exhaustively discussed and agreement reached with specific timelines, while committees are to be set up to deliberate on new demands presented by the unions.

  • Workers, lawyer hail EFCC’s arrest of Ekiti officials

    Workers, lawyer hail EFCC’s arrest of Ekiti officials

    Human rights lawyer, Mr. Morakinyo Ogele, has described the arrest of the Ekiti State Commissioner of Finance, Chief Toyin Ojo, and the Accountant General, Mrs. Yemisi Owolabi, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as “the beginning of the recovery of the stolen commonwealth of Ekiti people.”

    An interest group in the state workforce, the Enlightened Workers’ Forum (EWF), also urged the anti-graft agency to beam its searchlight on the internally generated revenue (IGR) accounts “which are shrouded in secrecy.”

    Former Trade Union Congress (TUC) Chairman in Ekiti State, Mr. Kolawole Olaiya, said he had been vindicated by the EFCC swoop on Governor Ayo Fayose’s aides over alleged mismanagement of the first tranche of the bailout funds collected in 2005.

    Olaiya, who was a legal officer in the Ministry of Justice, had raised the alarm that the first tranche was diverted, but he was dismissed from service by the Fayose administration in February 2016.

    They all reacted to Thursday’s arrest and detention of Ojo and Owolabi by the anti-graft agency, following their refusal to respond to invitations earlier extended to them to come and explain how the bailout funds were spent by the government.

    Speaking with The Nation on the development on yesterday, Ogele, who is also the National Coordinator of Ekiti Redemption Group (ERG), said the EFCC acted within the law by arresting the officials to explain why monies meant for the payment of arrears of salaries, allowances of civil servants and pensions and gratuities of retirees were allegedly diverted.

    Ogele said: “We welcome the arrest of the Finance Commissioner and Account General by the EFCC. This is the beginning of the recovery of the stolen commonwealth of Ekiti people by an administration that has been serially playing games and lottery with their funds.

    “It is not justifiable that an administration that has collected three tranches of bailout funds including Paris Club refunds, is still owing salary arrears of between six and eight months, and pensioners’ benefits for which the cash was meant to defray.

    “The probe of the mismanagement of the bailout cash is just a good step to deliver Ekiti people from systematic looting of their treasury. We want the EFCC to investigate how the ongoing construction of the flyover at the initial cost of N5 billion has been secretly jacked up to N14 billion.

    “We want the EFCC to look into how the Oba’s Market in Ado-Ekiti initially awarded at the cost of N3.3 billion has been secretly re-awarded to another contractor at N2.8 billion.

    “Ekiti’s redemption has just started and it will not stop until all looted funds are recovered.”

    EWF Coordinator, Mr. Mike Bamidele, said the EFCC crackdown was long overdue because “it is unbelievable that an administration that has been given financial relief could still be owing workers many arrears of pay.”

    “Bamidele said: “We welcome the EFCC probe, which is long overdue. We have at various fora and press statements insisted that the government has failed to appropriately utilise the bailout funds.

    “How can a government that collects monthly allocation up-to-date, N9.6 billion first tranche of bailout, N8.8 billion second tranche of bailout, N4.9 billion first tranche of Paris Club refund, N9.8 billion second tranche of Paris Club refund and N1.3 billion monthly budget support fund for 13 months still be owing seven-month salary arrears, ten-month pension arrears and no gratuity since 2014?

    “Apart from the bailout funds, we want the EFCC to launch a probe into the secret IGR accounts. Nobody knows what Ekiti State generates every month and nobody knows the revenue that has been generated since the administration came to power.

    “This is because the government operates secret IGR accounts which are only known by the ‘oga at the top’ and the collaborating bank officials.

    “The account numbers are only known to them and we want EFCC to invite the officials of the bank and the Internal Revenue Service officials to explain.

    “We also want the probe of local government funds, especially the so-called joint account. The councils only exist in name. We want the EFCC to invite the local government chairmen to shed light on how the council funds are spent.”

    Olaiya said Fayose, rather than heed his warning that the bailout should be spent for the payment of workers’ salaries and pensioners’ benefits, instigated his ouster from the civil service.

    Olaiya said: “There is an adage that says when falsehood travels for over 20 years, it takes the truth just one day to catch up with it. That is the way I want to summarise the EFCC ongoing probe of the Ekiti share of the bailout fund.

    “I was victimised, I was accused of being partisan when I am not a member of any political party. A kangaroo panel was set up with a mandate to punish an innocent man. The panel had even found me guiltybefore beginning its work.

    “The panel demoted me from Grade Level 12 to Grade Level 10 before unjustly sacking me from civil service. The truth has come to light now. The EFCC has justified my position that the bailout cash was mismanaged.

    “I want the EFCC to extend the probe to the current set of labour leaders who are accomplices in the misapplication of the bailout, because the money belongs to Ekiti people and not to a tiny group that has failed to justify the trust of the people.”

  • Health workers insist strike continues until conclusion of negotiations

    Health workers insist strike continues until conclusion of negotiations

    There are indications that the on-going indefinite strike embarked upon by health workers by the Joint Health Sector Unions may soon be called off even as the unions insist that the industrial action continues until after negotiations are concluded at the weekend.
    The government and the unions were believed to have signed an agreement in the early hours of Wednesday after about nine hours meeting with the unions informing the government team led by the Ministers of Labour, Senator Chris Ngige and his Health counterpart, Prof. Isaac Adewole that they need to get back to their members.
    The unions are expected to return to the negotiating table with the government team on Saturday after their National Executive Council meeting.
    In a statement made available to newsmen late Wednesday night, the unions asked its members nationwide to await further directive from the leaders, while asking state councils who were supposed to join the strike on Thursday to hold on and await further instruction.
    The statement signed by the Chairman, Biobelemoye Joy Josiah and Secretary, Florence Ekpebor reads: “As a result of the on-going negotiation between JOHESU and the Federal Government, the leadership of JOHESU wish to inform all members that negotiation is on-going and the strike continues nationwide in all Federal Health Institutions and further directives will be given after meeting with Federal Government on Saturday, 30th September, 2017.
    “In the light of the above, state councils are further directed to put on hold the commencement of their strike initially billed for Thursday, 28th of September, 2017 due to the on-going talks.
    “JOHESU commends members nationwide for their steadfastness and we hope that government will seize this opportunity to effectively meet our demands in order to shorten the life span of the strike.”
  • Ngige faults health workers strike, call for meeting Tuesday

    Ngige faults health workers strike, call for meeting Tuesday

    Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige on Monday told striking health workers that their action did not follow laid down rules as they failed to give the government a fourteen day ultimatum as required by law.

    The Minister however asked the striking workers to return to their place of primary assignment as the government is already addressing all issues contained in their demand, while also inviting them for a meeting on Tuesday with a view to resolving the issues in contention. 

    In a statement signed by the Deputy Director, Press in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Samuel Olowookere, the Minister expressed disappointment that the leadership of the striking workers failed to honour a meeting scheduled for Thursday, September 21, because they wanted to call out the workers on strike.

    He appealed to the striking he appealed to the striking workers to return to work to avoid the current hardship being suffered by patients.

    The statement reads “The Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige deeply regrets the strike already embarked by the Joint Health Sector Unions and group of healthcare providers in the federal health institutions operating under the acronym, JOHESU and wishes to appeal to them to call off their action and return to their different beats in the hospitals and institutions to avoid unnecessary hardship and death of patients.

     “I wish to place on record that JOHESU had wrongly issued a seven-day strike ultimatum on 14th September, 2017 instead of the mandatory fifteen-day notice the law requires of those on essential duties. 

    “The body took another wrong step by routing its notice of action to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) instead of the Labour and Employment Minister whom JOHESU is fully aware is empowered by the Section 5(6) of the Trade Dispute Act 2004 to apprehend such dispute within the time frame of notice and effect conciliation thereafter.      

     “Further, it is regrettable that the invitation extended to JOHESU by the Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment under the provision of this law for a meeting on Thursday, 21st September, 2017 was not honoured because JOHESU wanted to call out the member unions on strike, thereby disrupting services in these health institutions.

    “For the avoidance of doubt however, the Ministry of Labour and Employment, working in concert with the Ministry of Health, has fixed another conciliatory meeting for Tuesday, 26th September, 2017 by 2 p.m.

    “Therefore, the Hon. Minister requests members of JOHESU to resume work as serious efforts are being made to meet their grievances most of which like the payment of shortfalls of salaries, promotion arrears, repatriation allowances among others have already been addressed by Government through various negotiations with other unions representing the interest of workers, that is, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the last three weeks.”

  • Bank workers ‘won’t be part of ULC strike’

    •Financial institutions, others to use NIMC verification mode

    The National Union of Banks, Insurance and other Financial Institution Employees (NUBIFIE) has dissociated itself from the planned nationwide strike being called by the yet-to-be registered United Labour Congress (ULC).

    It asked its members to ignore the strike and go about their normal duty.

    The union’s president, Comrade Andulrasheed Lukman, said in a statement in Abuja that it has also decided to nullify its affiliation to the ULC and return to its former affiliation with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

    Lukman said the decision to affiliate with the ULC was taken against the union’s constitution.

    He said the association’s National Delegates Conference resolved and passed a resolution that it should return to the NLC.

    The statement reads in part: “The new leadership of the union states categorically that the union is not aware of and will not partake in any planned industrial action as called by the ULC. The process of engaging in industrial action is well-stipulated in the laws of the land and rules of engagement.

    “The union just concluded its delegates’ conference and a new leadership emerged. There are a number of issues that beg for attention in what has been happening in our industry, shutting the financial industry at this critical period of our economic life is not an option.

    “The congress in session did not discuss neither did it ratify any industrial action. Therefore, we dissociate NUBIFIE from the planned action of United Labour Congress.

    “The affiliation of NUBIFIE to ULC was done out of the context of the procedure and constitution of our great union and the congress in session resolved and passed a resolution for the return NUBIFIE to its original affiliation, NLC as contained in the union’s constitution.

    “Consequently, NUBIFIE dissociates itself from the called strike of ULC and hereby directs all our members in the banks and insurance companies to shun any other directive contrary to this.”

    But, the Director-General, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Mr. Aliyu Aziz, has said the commission had deployed NIMC Verification Service (NVS) to banks and other sectors, including schools and hospitals.

    Aziz, who made this known at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) forum in Abuja yesterday, said the financial institutions have successfully implemented and adopted the platform.

    According to him, the Application Programme Interface (API) for the NVS was deployed to institutions for effective use in accessing the data of Nigerians.

    The NIMC boss stressed that it was important to harmonise insurance companies’ databases with the National Identity Database (NIDB).

    Aziz said so far, the commission had registered 21.6 million Nigerians, while hoping to double this number before the end of 2017.

  • Ondo suspends 200 Judiciary workers

    The Ondo State government has reportedly suspended 200 workers in the state’s Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

    Those affected include judges, magistrates, senior registrars and registrars at the high courts and magistrates’ courts.

    The affected Judiciary workers were said to be those employed by the Dr Olusegun Mimiko administration.

    In a letter on behalf of the state government by JSC Secretary, Chief Z. D. Egbunu, and addressed to the acting chief registrar of the State High Court, the government noted that the affected workers were employed without due process.

    The letter sad the appointment of the affected workers was irregular, prompting government’s action.

    It reads: “Due to perceived irregularities and lack of due process in your appointment as a senior registrar (functioning as attorneys) in Ondo State Judiciary within the JSC, the acting chief judge and chairman of the commission has directed your immediate suspension, pending plenary consideration and propriety of your appointment process.”

    The letter also directed the affected officers to hand over government’s property in their custody.

    Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu was said to have directed the JSC to probe the appointment of Judiciary workers, especially magistrates and judges.

    Justice Commissioner Kola Olawoye said only the Chief Judge, Justice O. O Akeredolu, was “eminently” qualified to speak on the matter.T

  • Workers vow to tackle govt over promotion arrears

    Frustrated by the Federal Government’s unfulfilled promises to pay promotion arrears, outstanding salaries, and allowances owed federal officers,  the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has resolved to shut government’s agencies, if the debts are not paid on or before,  September 18.

    In a statement in Lagos, the association’s Secretary-General, Comrade Alade Bashir Lawal, said the union regretted that, for more than two years, the Federal Government had been promising to pay federal officers their outstanding entitlements.

    “It is rather unfortunate that the same Federal Government that has given state governments bailouts up to three times to settle the entitlements owed their workers, takes delight in punishing its own employees by denying them their legitimate benefits,” the union stated.

    According to ASCSN, the debts owed by the Federal Government include outstanding salaries, promotion arrears, first 28 days allowance on transfer from post, mandatory training allowance of OHCSF 2010, repatriation allowances, burial expenses, and death benefits.

    It recalled that the union had written several letters to the Presidency to settle the debts owed federal officers, but the government has been dilly dallying.

    “Although the Federal Government had issued two different circulars directing the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA’s) to compile the names of their staff that are affected which they did, yet, no payment was made.

    “Even when the government directed the Budget Office to raise virement last year for the payment of the outstanding entitlements, there was no cash backing until the virement lapsed,” the Union lamented.

    It said two months ago, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment informed the union that N10 billion had been earmarked to kick- start the payment, but nothing has happened.

    The union emphasised that the patience of the workers has been exhausted on the matter and that if not for the trade union skills being employed by the leadership of the association, the entire federal public service would have been engulfed by strike.

    “Workers have come to agree that the Federal Government is not in any way serious about paying them their outstanding entitlements.

    “In view of the foregoing, the ASCSN has given the Federal Government a seven-day ultimatum with effect from September 8, 2017 within which to settle all the debts owed federal officers failing which a three-day warning strike will start in all the federal MDA’s throughout the country,” the Union said.

    It urged prominent citizens, monarchs, religious leaders and other stakeholders to prevail on the Federal Government to pay the debts owed federal officers.

     

    and not wait until the strike action starts before they begin to plead with the Union to call it off.

  • AUPCTRE challenges Fed Govt on workers’ promotion arrears

    AUPCTRE challenges Fed Govt on workers’ promotion arrears

    The Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Technical and Recreational Employees (AUPCTRE) has appealed to the Federal Government to expedite action on the payment of promotion arrears to public servants.

    Its Chairman, Federal Capital Territory Chapter, Mr. Benjamin Anthony, made the appeal in a statement issued in Abuja.

    Anthony said: “The payment will go a long way in alleviating the pains of the workers in view of the current economic crunch.’’

    He praised the Federal Government for the approval of N44 billion for the payment of backlog of promotion arrears, salary shortfalls and other claims owed the federal public servants since year 2012.

    According to him, the present administration deserve a special commendation for the giant stride that will encourage workers to put in their best for the country’s development.

    Anthony said this was in spite of the economic challenges facing the country.

    He also urged AUPCTRE leaders in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to ensure strict compliance and implementation of proper placement of salary steps of workers.

    The AUPCTRE chairman said that a circular from the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation dated July 14, 2014 marked “HCSF/CSO/HRM/POL.1402/1/25’’ had directed the implementation.

    He said  the circular was, however, not being implemented by many MDAs as directed by the government.

    Anthony said the union observed with dismay that many organisations claimed ignorance of the circular and, in the process, wrongly placed their workers on salary steps during promotion.

  • Ondo workers reject modulated salary

    Ondo workers reject modulated salary

    Labour unions in Ondo State have kicked against the state government’s plan to pay fractional parts of their outstanding salaries and pensions from the second tranche of the Paris Club fund.

    Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), in July, confirmed the receipt of N7.6 billion by the state as part of the Paris Club refund.

    The governor pledged not to spend the money until a meeting was held with labour leaders on the modality for payment.

    At a recent meeting with the labour unions, he hinted that only 75 per cent of the amount received would be expended on the payment of salary arrears while the balance would be for capital projects.

    Akeredolu inherited six months’ salary arrears – from August 2016 to last January – from the immediate past administration of Dr Olusegun Mimiko, when he assumed office in February.

    He had settled last August salary with five months still outstanding.

    At the meeting with labour leaders, Akeredolu said the remaining fund in government coffers, after some deductions, such as the local government share and 25 per cent of the amount, would not be enough to pay the September salary.

    The governor suggested that workers at all grade levels be paid 80 per cent of their salary for last September.

    But the offer of modulated salary payment was rejected by the labour leaders, who pleaded that the governor should source for fund to pay the balance of one full month salary to all categories of workers.

    It was learnt that when the governor objected to the suggestion of workers to look for another source to complete the amount needed for the payment of last September salary, estimated at N500 million, the labour leaders insisted that rather than accept modulated payment, the government should make 100 per cent payment to the number of workers the money could pay.

    The labour unions, under the auspices of Nigeria   Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Joint Negotiating Council (JNC), expressed surprise when the state’s Accountant General reportedly told them that his office had computed 80 per cent salary to all workers, in line with the governor’s directive.

    In a letter to the governor labour leaders in the state – Mrs Bose Daramola, Mr Sola Ekundayo and Mr Sunday Adeleye – the labour unions demanded a full payment of the last September arrears.

    They urged the government to device whatever means possible to pay the salary arrears without delay.

    They said: “Modulated payment or fractional payment in whatever form is unacceptable to Ondo State public servants and pensioners.

    “It is mandatory that the state government should look inward to augment and pay the September 2016 salary in full to all workers and pensioners in the state.”

  • Borno govt donates N16.5m to families of slain oil workers, civilian JTF

    The Borno Government said on Friday that it had donated N16.5 million to families of 21 oil workers and 12 members of the Civilian JTF killed in separate Boko Haram terrorists attacks in the state.

    Alhaji Usman Zanna, the Commissioner for Local Government and Emirate Affairs, made the disclosure while briefing newsmen in Maiduguri.

    Zanna pointed out that each of the deceased family was given the sum of N500, 000.

    He disclosed that the state government also donated N6 million to families of 12 other persons killed by the terrorists in another attack at Jidari-Kolo area of Maiduguri.

    Zanna added that the gesture was to assist the bereaved families and assuage their sufferings.

    “Gov. Kashim Shettima directed the ministry to disburse N500, 000 to each of the affected families.

    “It is not compensation but a token provided by the government to support the bereaved families,” he said.

    Zanna added that the state government had provided support to victims of the insurgents’ suicide bomb attacks in the 27 local government councils of the state.

    The commissioner explained that the state government equally provided vehicles and fuel to military in the counter-insurgency campaign.

    According to him, the ministry has so far rehabilitated schools, clinics, local government secretariats and palaces in the 22 ravaged local government councils.

    Zanna added that the ministry had equally assisted displaced persons to relocate to liberated communities at Konduga and Mafa