The Nation Newspaper

Tag: workers

  • Monarch to Ondo govt: listen to workers

    The Aladeokun of Alade-Idanre in Idanre Local Government Area of Ondo State, Oba Olusegun Akinbola, has urged the state government to be sensitive to the plights of workers.

    The monarch, who is celebrating his 21st year coronation anniversary, said those at the helm of affairs were responsible for the current impasse over unpaid salaries between the government and workers.

    Speaking with The Nation in his palace, Oba Akinbola, who is a former lecturer of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, Osun State, said the strike embarked upon by the workers needed the intervention of traditional rulers and other key stakeholders to resolve.

    He decried the poor working condition of workers in the employ of the state government, stressing the need for the government to dialogue with the workers to resolve the dispute.

    The monarch noted that the hardship in the state was not limited to the public servants, hinting that monarchs were also affected.

    He urged the government and the workers to return to the drawing board in the overall interest of the state.

  • NDPHC workers back MD

    Workers of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) have pledged their support to the new Acting Managing Director, Mr. Chiedu Ugbo.

    They denied media reports that they kicked against his appointments.

    The workers at a town hall meeting with Ugbo said they would support the new helsman to ensure effective delivery of projects under the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) superintended by NDPHC to boost power supply in the country.

    According to the General Manager, Communication and Public Relations, Mr. Yakubu Lawal, the workers also believed that NIPP has played a vital role in the power infrastructure development across the country and assured the new managing director that they are ready to raise the bar so that all ongoing NIPP projects will be delivered within schedule and look forward to kick-start the phase II projects of the company.

    Acting executive directors and senior managers who spoke on behalf of the workers told the new managing director that NDPHC relates like a family and urged him to sustain the family ties in the company.

    “We are like a family, these young men and women are ready to work with you and support you,” they said.

    Ugbo requested staff to cooperate with him to sustain and increase the momentum of project delivery for the benefit of all Nigerians.

    s“I know that it may be difficult to adjust to this change considering the fact that everybody is used to previous management but we have work to do and need everyone’s cooperation to deliver the projects to Nigerians,” he said.

    Lawal said at no time did the workers protest or resist government plan to appoint outsiders as replacement for the sacked management of the company. He noted that the reports carried by some media organisations were false and were the reporters’ imagination.

    “The executive directors that removed, were appointed in 2015 contrary to the reporters’ claim of 2013 while the former Managing Director spent 10 years as Chief Executive Officer of NDPHC,” Lawal said.

    As part of the Federal Government’s plan to address the power situation in the country, the executive management of NDPHC was dissolved last week and an Acting Managing Director appointed to manage the company.

  • Governor pleads with striking workers

    Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko has urged the state’s striking workers to join hands with him to find ”a lasting solution” to the challenge confronting the state.

    He urged them to return to work in the interest of the people.

    Mimiko, who spoke yesterday at the Father’s Day celebration service at the Government House Chapel in Akure, the state capital, said the country and the state were passing through a trying time.

    The governor appealed to the people not to give up, but “confront our challenges by reaching out to the depth of our creativity and say how do we move forward”.

    Expressing sympathy with the people over the harsh economic climate, Mimiko said his ”heart goes to families that are finding it difficult to feed; families where their children are ill and there is nothing in their pockets to seek medical help, those women that go into labour pain at  night and there is nowhere to seek help; my heart goes to everybody that suffers in this land”.

    He implored the workers to continue to pray because “after this darkness,a glorious dawn shall  come.

    Mimiko said the situation at hand did not call for a blame game, stating that “for us, it should not be about excuse giving or blame game, but about how we can confront this monster and reach for our creativity to solve this problem”.

  • Afe Babalola deplores unending strikes by workers

    Afe Babalola deplores unending strikes by workers

    •ABUAD founder lays foundation of Nurses’ House at EKSUTH

    The Founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola, has decried the unending spate of strikes by workers in public service.

    He said both the government and the workers were to blame for the situation.

    The legal luminary spoke at the weekend while laying the foundation stone of the Afe Babalola Nurses’ House he is building for the Ekiti State University (EKSUTH) chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM).

    Babalola said the construction of the building was his own way of identifying with nurses and appreciating their selfless service, commitment and diligence in the health sector.

    The ceremony was witnessed by the donor’s wife, Yeye Aare Modupe Babalola, ABUAD Vice Chancellor Prof. Michael Ajisafe and the university’s other principal officers and EKSUTH Chief Medical Director, Dr. Kolawole Ogundipe, who led other management workers to the ceremony.

    The building, when completed, will serve as the EKSUTH NANNM Secretariat. It will be equipped with facilities like an e-library, a crèche, a mini mart, among others.

    Speaking with reporters after performing the groundbreaking ceremony, Babalola stressed that nurses deserve to be celebrated as their impact is being felt in the society and nothing should be spared in giving them support.

    Apparently alluding to the ongoing strike in Ekiti State, which has since been joined by health workers, the renowned philanthropist said it was abnormal for professionals like nurses and doctors, who deal with human lives, to be going on strike.

    He urged the authorities concerned not to joke with workers’ welfare.

    He said: “By and large, the nursing profession has maintained a high standard. If other people do what they doing, our country will not be where it is today.

    “Life is very important; they make life and they deserve to be given adequate compensation. I see nurses like priests and doctors who are not expected to go on strike. I don’t expect a pastor to go on strike against his flock.

    “Nurses and doctors should not go on strike by virtue of their professions and I want to appeal to government to pay due regards to nurses and doctors. They should not be allowed to go on strike; government should always meet their needs.

    “We abuse everything in Nigeria, including strike. The way strike is often applied in this country is far from the way it is carried out in places like Europe. It is like we are not ripe for independence

    “Workers hardly go on strike in Europe, no matter what. And when there is the need to do so, such strike action does not last more than two hours before they return back to their work. We should follow the law and due process in all things we do because both the government and workers going on strike are guilty.”

    Babalola advised nurses desirous of further training to come over to ABUAD, which is reputed to have one of the best nursing departments in Nigeria for their master’s and doctorate degrees.

    Urging the nurses to contribute towards the execution of the project, Babalola called on Nigerians to always give in support of worthy causes and projects since government cannot do it alone.

    He added: “The only time I am happy is the time I give. It makes me happy and it makes the receiver happy. It is not when you have up to N200,000 that you can give. So, I want you (nurses) to contribute to this project, give the little you can for all us to do it together.”

    The EKSUTH boss hailed the contribution of nurses in the health institution, describing them as “the pillars and trailblazers in the hospital.”

    He used the opportunity to call on striking doctors to come back to work for normal medical activities to return.

    Chairperson of NANNM, EKSUTH branch, Mrs. Olufunke Adetoye, said the proposed building would be named after Babalola, who is a grand patron of the association, in appreciation of his support and philanthropic gestures.

    Mrs. Adetoye described ABUAD as a “first class university in Africa” with full accreditation in all courses, including nursing, which is so rare to get accredited.

    She added that Babalola deserves to have the Nurses’ House named after him.

  • HoS urges Lagos workers on diligence, service delivery

    Lagos State Head of Service Mrs. Olabowale Ademola has urged public servants to exhibit diligence in the discharge quality service delivery, which she described as the thrust of the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode administration.

    Ademola spoke in Lagos at news conference to kick off this year’s Public Service Week in the Centre of Excellence. The week has “Inclusiveness and public service delivery” as its theme.

    The HoS pointed out that the week offers an opportunity to reflect on the journey and the progress made so far towards the transformation of the state civil service into a modern, innovative and effective instrument of governance and development.

    According to her, the commemoration of the Public Service Day is in pursuance of the Tangier Declaration of the Conference of African Civil Service Ministers which in 1994 mandated all African countries to commemorate 23rd of June as the African Day of Administration and Civil Service.

    Her words: “The primary objective of the celebration is to acknowledge the important contributions that the Civil Service makes towards the development of our dear State and to highlight the vital role which the civil service will play in meeting the challenges which the 21st century promises. The Day is also meant to draw due attention to the working conditions and quality of public servants who devote their lives to serving the public diligently.”

    Mrs. Ademola described Lagos as one of the few states that has consistently observed the Public Service Week, adding that the government has therefore lined up a weeklong activity to mark the week.

    “As it is our tradition, a lot of activities mixed with pomp and pageantry have been lined up in a week-long exercise that would climax on June 23 to commemorate the day. Such activities include a Jumat service, interdenominational service, walk for fitness, parades by the various MDAs, visitation to charitable organisations, health screening and public lecture among others,” the HoS said.

  • AIT sacks all workers in Edo station

    AIT sacks all workers in Edo station

    The management of the African Independent Television Tuesday relieved all the workers of its station in Benin City of their appointments with immediate effect.

    The management’s decision was conveyed in a letter dated 2-6-16 and signed by Mr Victor Okasoga, Senior Manager in charge of Human Resources.

    In the letter to the affected staff who are being owed salaries for upwards of two years, Okasoga said their appointments have been terminated with effect from June 13 2016. 

    The letter directed those affected to handover all company properties in, “your possession especially your identity cards to the Head of Center.”

    “Failure to surrender company properties in your possession may delay the processing of your entitlements,”the letter added.

    It would be recalled that three weeks ago, the affected workers including reporters, cameramen, presenters and producers protested the undue delays in payment of their salaries running into a year and six months.

  • Workers’ protest: Oyo APC hails Ajimobi over peace stance

    Workers’ protest: Oyo APC hails Ajimobi over peace stance

    Oyo State All Progressives Congress (APC) has hailed Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s “penchant for peace, egalitarianism and societal” growth.

    The commendation followed the spirited efforts made by the governor to tackle the crisis, which his administration’s education initiative, tagged: “Partnership Management of Public Secondary Schools in Oyo State”, has generated.

    In a statement issued through its Director of Publicity and Strategy, Olawale Sadare, the APC expressed its satisfaction with the handling of the protests arising from opposition to the school management initiative.

    It reads: “Immediately it became obvious that some fifth columnists were ready to capitalise on the prevailing situation to cause civil unrest in order to continue their political war with the APC government in the state, Ajimobi personally took up the gauntlet and turned the challenge to an advantage by engaging the public in what has turned to be unprecedented crisis management approach through public communication.

    “The world has again been made to see the rare quality of leadership in the governor, who had to move from one media station to another as he faced both journalists and members of the public who sought clarification on many salient issues concerning his stewardship and challenges of governance.

    “For four days consecutively, the governor toured many media houses and played host to many others in an excruciating task simply to disabuse the minds of the people, give account of his stewardship and unfold his future plans for the state.”

  • Anxiety grips aviation workers as restructuring begins

    Anxiety grips aviation workers as restructuring begins

    There is anxiety in the aviation sector following the Federal Government’s restructuring plans to reduce directorates in agencies.

    The agencies agencies are the  Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Civil Aviation (NCAA),Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and others.

    Many aviation workers, a source hinted, are running around the Presidency as well as the Ministry of Aviation to stop possible implementation of a panel report that recommended a massive shake-up for the sector.

    Apart from reduction in the directorates, which have been  bloated in the last few years, the government has audited of personnel in some of the agencies to balance technical personnel with those without professional expertise in critical units of the sector.

    Towards this end, massive re- deployment of personnel in some agencies, including FAAN , NCAA and NAMA will begin this week

    The resolve to restructure the aviation sector is a fallout of the recommendations of the Presidential Committee chaired by the Head of Service, Winifred Ekanem  Oyo-Ita.

    The committee has concluded work on the re-deployment of personnel in FAAN, alleged to have bloated work force because of politically-motivated appointments.

    Aviation unions petitioned the panel to overhaul the sector for lopsided appointments, which shortchanged career civil servants.

    Apart from FAAN, NAMA  and the NCAA have redundant departments and directorates as well as unproductive personnel.

    FAAN has no fewer than 40 General Managers, with more directorates created from existing directorates, thereby raising overhead cost  to over N800 million monthly.

    Four years ago,  the directorates in FAAN grew from six to 10. The six were Directorates of Administration, Commercial, Finance, Engineering Operations and Security.

    After the expansion, Directorate of Legal Service, which was a department under the Managing Director’s office, emerged, alongside Directorates of Cargo, Projects and Human Resources. The new exercise would see Directorates of Human Resources and Administration come together as it was before; Directorate of Project go back to Engineering Directorate and Cargo Directorate revert to Directorate of Commercial.

    The NCAA had Directorate of Airworthiness Standards (DAWS), Directorate of Airports and Aerodrome Standards (DAAS), Directorate of Operations and Training (DOT), Directorate of Finance and Administration (DFA), and Directorate of Air Transport Regulation (DATR). A few years ago,  DFA was split to three directorates and two departments.

    They are Directorate of Administration (DOA), Directorate of Human Resources (DHR) and Directorate of General Aviation (DGA), with the creation of office of Company Secretary and Legal Adviser. The directorates in NAMA are Operations, Engineering, Human Resources, Administration and Finance.

    At the weekend,  the Ministry of Aviation, acting on the recommendations of the committee, directed the parastatal to effect the changes.

    Many of the directorates that are not part of FAAN’s original organogram will be absorbed into the original directorate.

    Some personnel who were brought into FAAN without qualification or requisite  experience have been reviewed.

    A female director in the agency has been redeployed to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. An acting General Manager in the Finance Department was demoted  from level 17 to level 10 and moved to the Information Communication and Technological department (ICT).

  • Dickson breaks promise to pay workers half-salaries

    Dickson breaks promise to pay workers half-salaries

    •Governor: I have queried HoS, accountant 

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson has again failed to actualise his directive that the state’s civil servants should be paid half-salaries “with immediate effect”.

    The governor, last Thursday, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, ordered the immediate payment of 50 per cent of salaries of the workers.

    Though it was gathered that the governor wanted to pay half of one month to the workers, who had not been paid for about six months, most civil servants expected the governor to fulfil his promise by last Friday.

    But their hope was dashed as their mobile phones did not get payment alerts throughout the weekend.

    Bayelsa State civil servants are owed about six months; local government workers about 13 months and pensioners about nine months.

    The situation has plunged residents into untold hardship with many of them resorting to begging for survival.

    The statement by Iworiso-Markson claimed that excitement and joy had returned to the state, following last Thursday’s directive for immediate payment of salaries.

    He said: “Since the announcement, workers in all the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) went jubilant, expressing hope that the trend will continue.

    “Many of the workers are now happy and are poised to assist the government to move the state ahead.

    “The governor gave the directive after a meeting with the State Finance Committee at the Government House in Yenagoa.

    “The directive was in fulfilment of the agreement between the government and organised labour, represented by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC).”

    The statement also quoted Dickson as saying the payment of the 50 per cent salaries would begin with the ministries and departments, which had turned in the reports of their verification.

    It added that Dickson hailed the workers for their patience and understanding.

    But residents have derided the governor for his failure to pay workers, as he ordered.

    In reply, Dickson, at the weekend, expressed dismay over the delay in the payment, despite his directive to that effect.

    The governor directed the Head of Service (HoS), the Accountant–General and the accountants in the MDAs to ensure that the directive was carried out, not later than today.

    In a separate statement by Iworiso-Markson, the governor warned that failure to carry out the directive by Monday would attract stringent disciplinary action against the erring officers.

    Dickson said he queried why the salaries were delayed, despite the fact that the funds were released to the MDAs since last Thursday, when the directive was issued.

    He also demanded an immediate explanation from the HoS, the Accountant-General and other relevant officers “on what necessitated the delay”.

    “While regretting the unfortunate situation, he (Dickson) also used the opportunity to commend workers …for their patience, sense of maturity and understanding, stressing that the government remains committed to the welfare of workers at all levels in the state,” the statement added.

  • ‘Non-implementation of Pension Act, threat to workers’ future’

    The Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) has decried the failure of the Federal Government, states and local governments to implement the New Pension Act 2014 for workers. The union is urging all tiers of government to comply with the provisions of the act so that workers could have something to fall back on after retirement.

    Its General Secretary, Comrade Yusuf Lekke Zambuk, reiterated the union’s position at the 20th Plenary Session of the National Governing Council/AUPCTRE Week in Abuja.

    He regretted that the non-implementation of the New Pension Act 2014 has been posing a serious challenge to an average worker.

    Zambuk said the New Pension Act 2014, Part 11, Section 5, provided for a group Life Insurance Policy for each employee for a minimum of three times the total annual emolument of the employee. The premium is expected to be paid not later than the date of commencement of the cover.

    He, however, said as at date, neither the Federal Government, states nor local government has implemented this policy in favour of employees.

    He said: “It is surprising, however, that political office holders enjoy retirement benefits inclusive of medical, car, furniture among others, after serving their four-year tenure, but nothing is being said about serving public officials by the Federal Government, states and local governments.”

    However, the NGC-in-session has called onorganised labour, which is a Pan Nigerian Organisation and a defender of democratic values, to unite and rise up to effectively engage the political class to ensure that the dividends of democracy are not lost,” he said.

    In a related event, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige,  has said  the Federal Government will comply fully with section 173 (3) of the Constitution  that makes review of pension compulsory every five years or at any increment of salaries.

    Ngige gave this assurance when the leaders of the Association of Contributory Pensioners of Nigeria (ACPN) visited him in Abuja on Monday.

    He said: “The constitution is clear in section 173(3) on how pension should be administered. It is to be reviewed every five years or upon an increment in salary.

    A review was done in 2011 on minimum wage, and once the minimum wage is touched, it should automatically affect the pension”Serving the nation, nobody should discriminate against you. I don’t understand why in the same country some pensioners are receiving full benefits while others are not.

    This is unconstitutional.”The minister regretted the ordeal of the contributory pensioners and promised to urgently institute an appropriate liaison with Pension Commission (PENCOM) to rectify observed operational anomalies relating to the group so as to ensure that their benefits were fully paid.

    He added that pension matters by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 102 should be under the Ministry of Labour and Employment, assuring that the pensioners would not be abandoned by the federal government.

    He further said the existing Pension Act made it difficult to register two separate unions under pension as requested by the contributory pensioners.

    Earlier in his address, the Chairman of the association, Mr. Uche Ekpo, lamented the non-representation of the Contributory Pensioners by an organised union, insisting that what the Trade Union Registrar cited as reason for denying it registration covered only the non-contributory pensioners. He, therefore, sought the assistance of the minister for the registration of the body as a trade union so as to better articulate and push the interests of the members of the union.