The Nation Newspaper

Tag: workers

  • Ikeja Electric opts out of negotiation over sacked workers

    Ikeja Electric opts out of negotiation over sacked workers

    Negotiation between Ikeja Electric Company and the Labour over the recent disengagement of workers has broken down with the company opting out of the talks.
    The company in a statement said that the negotiation was tending towards a proposition that would jeopardise transparency, employee performance and service excellence to customers.

    Last month, Labour had picketed the electricity distribution company for three days over the disengagement of workers who failed to meet the company’s performance objectives and were deemed to be performing below standard.

    However, the picketing was suspended after Ikeja Electric reached an agreement with the National Union of Electricity Workers (NUEE) and Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) to set up a committee to review the performance appraisal and competency assessment process.

    Head of Corporate Communications of the company, Felix Ofulue, explained that the talks was discontinued due to ” a clear determination by representatives of Labour to stick to a pre-conceived and irreversible position that the process was flawed. Therefore, the review process was an exercise in futility.”

    Rather than engage in an objective and constructive review of the whole appraisal process which is tailored in line with global best practices as Ofulue said Labour preferred an arbitrary review in which reduced criteria would be applied to certain selected employees who are members of the union”.

    “The performance review process was classified into four stages, clearly detailing steps to be taken at each stage. However, Labour, without taking any of these steps into consideration and any justifiable rationale, insisted the process was flawed and demanded that Ikeja Electric must recall all disengaged staff.

    “While we remain committed to upholding best human capital processes and stakeholder engagement in fostering excellence in the workplace, there are indications that the propositions of certain actors in the negotiation process are against our resolve to provide improved services to our customers and are fixated on jeopardizing our overall interest to move the industry forward so we had no choice but to withdraw in the interest of our consumers,” he added.

    Ofulue noted that the electricity sector had suffered great setback over several decades of mismanagement and stressed that it was time to focus on applying quality human capital to salvage the situation.

    Calling for restraint, the Ikeja Electric spokesman pointed out that Labour was morally bound to protect the overall wellbeing of the masses, and not the interests of a select few.

    He cited the last picketing exercise which caused great distress to the general public and cautioned against saboteurs and detractors who were bent on scuttling the negotiation process for selfish reasons.

    He said the company would resist any attempt to allow its customers go through another harrowing outage ordeal, cautioning that the company will not hesitate to seek redress at the Industrial Court should Labour disrupt its ability to provide customers electricity supply and worsen the power situation which over the few weeks have been dismal due to grid challenges and gas shortage.

  • Workers accuse NAICOM of mismanagement

    Workers accuse NAICOM of mismanagement

    •officials suspend protest

    The National Insurance Commission’s (NAICOM) management seems to be at loggerheads with its workers as they embarked on a week-long protest alleging serious issues of corruption.

    The workers alleged that  the commission witnessed mismanagement during the administration of the Commissioner for Insurance, Mohammed Kari, citing lack of staff training and poor security of staff, among others.

    Aside from this, they alleged that a minister of finance confirmed an undergraduate as a director in NAICOM.

    The workers carried placards with some inscriptions: “No to incessant violation of conditions of service, ‘No to incessant violation of financial regulation’, ‘President Buhari save NAICOM from collapse’, ‘Corruption in NAICOM baba must hear this’, ‘PhD holder in NAICOM resigns on confirmation of undergraduate as Director’, ‘Monkey dey work Baboon dey chop’, ‘Pay us our promotion arrears’, ‘President Buhari, please implement White Paper on Nigerian Airways’ and ‘Nepotism in favoritism-NAICOM’.”

    The workers under the aegis of Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Service Employees (AUPCTRE) called on the President, Muhammadu Buhari to checkmate the excesses of the executive management.

    AUPCTRE chairman, NAICOM chapter, Comrade Ibrahim Abdulateefin in an interview with The Nation over the weekend, said the executive management engaged in on various acts of impunity leading to gross mismanagement of the Commission’s funds, welfare issues, among others.

    He disclosed that the strike has been suspended for a while because they reached an agreement with the executive management.

    He said they have given the management timelines to meet their demand and until their demands are met, there would be no industrial harmony.

    Efforts to get NAICOM spokeperson, Rasaag Salami to respond to the claims as at the time of filing this report proved abortive.

  • Be patient-friendly, healthcare workers told

    Be patient-friendly, healthcare workers told

    Health workers have been advised to be diligent in their work to meet patients’ yearning.

    Former Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health Dr Femi Olugbile gave the advice at a workshop organised by the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DfID). The theme was: “Improving quality and customer experience in public health facilities in the Southwest region”.

    According to him, the value gap between what the patients want and what they get, must be bridged to restore sanity to the sector.

    Health workers, he said, are in the critical sector but are not doing enough to alleviate the suffering of patients, stressing: “We can do much better even with the limitation of resources”.

    He charged the doctors to be professional in their handling of patients and not become too powerful or superior to the detriment of the latter.

    The patients, he said,  are people who are ill, vulnerable and powerless and as such, may be in discomfort and  receptive to reason.

    “The patient came to the hospital, which is strange to them, for help,” he added.

    The patients, he said, should be seen as customers, adding that they have rights and privileges as well as choices.

    The former hospital administrator said often times health workers do not act on the complaints made by patients.

    This, he said, was unfair to the patients, urging health facilities to carry out investigation on the complaints and punish offenders.

    Executive Manager, Society for Quality in Healthcare in Nigeria (SQHN), Dr Olawunmi Oluborode said healthcare workers need to handle the patients the way they would want to be handled.

    Speaking on the concept of quality improves and applicability to government facilities, she said quality improvement was a laudable plan for a better future of healthcare.

    To improve health quality, she said healthcare must be measured despite its difficulty.

    Quality improvement efforts, she said, must cover the entire system from the Medical Director (MD) to the security personnel.

    Oluborode urged healthcare providers to make research on hospital acquired infections and how to reduce them.

    The Chief Responsibility Officer, Mothergold Consulting, Dr Sina Fagbenro-Byron said the poor attitude of the health workers was a commonplace.

    “It largely affects maternal and child health service delivery,” he added.

    While speaking of the poor attitude of health workers, he said health workers quickly forget that they are in the business only because of the patient.

    He said three in 10 women in sub-saharan Africa, apart from South Africa, use family planning methods due to bad attitude of health workers, adding: “Just three in every 10 mothers utilise post natal services.”

    Bad attitude, according to Fagbenro-Byron, does not solve a problem, but worsens it.

    He charged healthcare workers to have a sense of humour as bad attitude is a sign of emotional weakness.

  • NLNG workers donate N30m materials to IDPs

    NLNG workers donate N30m materials to IDPs

    Staff of Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), through the company’s ‘Let’s Care Initiative’, have donated relief materials worth over N30million to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

    This is in addition to the award of scholarships worth N10million per year for 10 pupils each in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states for five years.

    The initiative, established last July, is aimed at providing comfort and succour to the IDPs, as the Federal Government records success in addressing the insurgency and resettling displaced persons.

    The General Manager, External Relations Division, Kudo Eresia-Eke said over 100 NLNG staff volunteered to raise funds for the project.

    Distribution of relief materials was carried out in two phases last October and this month with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the States’ Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), and Non-Governmental Agencies (NGOs), such as MUNA and Heeba Foundations.

    The camps they visited include ICCM Benin Camp, Edo State; Kabusa and Kuchingoro Camps in Abuja; Konduga, Mafa Road Muna Park and Gubio Road Housing Estate IDP camps in Bornu State; Damare, St Theresa and Malkoni camps in Adamawa State; and Bukar El-kanemi and Pampomari IDP camps in Yobe State.

    The sponsor of the initiative, Mr. Isa Inuwa, said:  “Let’s Care IDP initiative’ is about awareness and reaching out. It is underpinned by the concepts of gratitude and humanity in all of us.”

    He added: “What you see as the end results of the efforts, sacrifice and generosity of so many, are the truck-load of relief materials our staff take to the camps themselves to distribute. In addition to material contributions, the effort has created awareness about the plight of the IDPs who have been displaced for no fault of theirs.

    “We have witnessed an unprecedented demonstration of empathy and a deep sense of compassion towards humanity by many staff. Along with other well-meaning Nigerians, we must continue to give the IDPs hope that tomorrow is going to be better and get them back a normal and decent life.’’

  • Osun assures workers of March salaries

    Osun assures workers of March salaries

    The Osun State Government has debunked insinuations that it would not pay March salaries because of the N6 million federal allocation it received for February.

    In a statement by the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy,  Semiu Okanlawon, the government assured workers of payment of their salaries.

    The statement reads: “Just as the Rauf Aregbesola administration had weathered the storm to pay salaries up to December, the government is executing a well-mapped out strategy to ensure that workers do not suffer.

    “The state received  less than N150 million from October till date, due to the repayment obligations for the infrastructure programmes it has been prosecuting.

    “Despite its obligations,  Osun has paid more than N5 billion in salaries during the same period.

    “Federal Allocation is not the state’s only source of revenue and the  support  of workers has allowed us to stretch our reserves and other sources to pay on mutually agreed terms as well as fulfill our promises to the people.

    “As at today, the process for the payment of January salaries is in the final stages. Osun workers will receive their salaries this week.

    “The state today remains a major projects site employing thousands of our people.

    “Osun is, therefore, fulfilling its obligations to the people and  running government.

    “The state calls all who care to come to visit to see for themselves the moods in the state rather than pander to rumours, conjectures and lies.”

    It added: “Osun, by virtue of its poor allocation, has never had the opportunity of ample resources commensurate to payment of salaries, payment of pensions and gratuities and implementation of capital projects.

    “But due to prudent management of resources, creative infrastructure financing, this government has been able to fulfill its obligations in all these critical areas of governance.

    “The fact remains that Osun, under Aregbesola did not have to wait for the day the state would get N6 million as allocation before proffering solutions towards sustainable economic self-reliance.

    “This is why Osun has reduced the cost of governance, moved aggressively to increase Internally Generated Revenue (IGR),  sought to attract investments through provision of hitherto non-existent infrastructure and enabling environment and instituted performance-driven governance.

    “The government, therefore, calls on its critics not to capitalise on the last allocation to make unguarded statements.

    “We are aware of those whose job it is to confuse the unsuspecting public through their mischievous statements.

    “The question these self-appointed critics should be asked is: if they demand that further funds should not be released to this government, what has happened to all the loads of lies-laden petitions they had sent to the Federal Government?” it added.

  • Social workers get network

    A network of social workers, Social Enterprise Network Nigeria, SENN, has been floated in Lagos to support and promote social facilities and infrastructure.

    The Lagos-based organisation, according to its coordinator, Damilola Famakinwa, “would facilitate government recognition and support for social enterprises by creating an enabling environment that impact lives in the areas of education, environment and sanitation, social welfare sexual abuse among others.”

    Famakinwa said the network comprises 12 non-governmental organisations.

    “Members of our network develop and implement sustainable strategy to tackle key issues such as to promote and improve reading culture, reduce environmental degradations, equip unemployed youths with work place skills and experience, eradicate illiteracy and promote adult education among others.”

  • Oil workers suspend strike

    Oil workers suspend strike

    A strike by oil workers under the auspices of NUPENG and PENGASSAN against the restructuring of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was yesterday suspended.

    General Secretary of National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG) Joseph Ogbebor, also said the two unions agreed to call off their strike, after the government had promised to safeguard the jobs of their members, pensions, among meeting other problems.

    He said: ‘’ After a long meeting between the Federal Government and PENGASSAN/ NUPENG, the government said the issues such as pension of oil workers, employment and others would be well taken care off. As a result of this, we have no choice than to call off the strike. We have no delight in going on strike. But some pressing issues, often times, made us to down tools in the sector. ‘’

  • Workers in Taraba commence 3-day warning strike

    Organised labour in Taraba on Wednesday, commenced three-day warning strike over illegal salary deductions, omissions and non-payment of primary school teachers.

    This is contained in a statement signed by Mr. Solomon Obaji, Secretary, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Alhaji Tukur Taji, Secretary, Trade Union Congress (TUC), and issued to newmen in Jalingo.

    The statement criticised the state government for being `insensitive’ to the sufferings of its workers and pensioners.

    “Government has failed to address the abnormalities, ranging from underpayment of salaries, omission of genuine workers from salary vouchers, removal of approved allowances and non payment of teachers salaries,” it stated.

    When contacted, the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Anthony Danburam, said that government was holding meetings with the labour leaders with a view to resolving the matter.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) checks showed that workers complied with the directive of their leaders on the issue as all the offices in the state secretariat in Jalingo were locked.

     

  • Police arrest labour leaders as Ogun workers remain adamant

    Schools, hospitals and the state Government Secretariat, Oke – Mosan in Abeokuta remained largely deserted as the indefinite strike embarked upon by civil servants Ogun state entered the second day on Tuesday.

    The striking workers who shunned their duty post on Tuesday over non-payment of pensions and deductions, said they would not resume until there is convincing evidence of payment of their deductions and other entitlements.

    But three labour leaders – Chairman of National Union of Printing Corporation, Kayode Wemimo, Chairman of Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Recreation and Technical Employee (AUCPTRE) identified as Ojeleye and another were arrested.

    They were tear – gassed and arrested at the South end gate of the government Secretariat at Oke Mosan, in an apparent move by the state government  to break the resolve of the workers.

    The government had on Monday through a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Taiwo Adeoluwa, asked the striking workers to return to work, dismissing the strike as misguided but the workers were adamant.

    Adeoluwa stated: “we are at a loss as to what this small and unpopular group of workers in the state civil service really wants to achieve as Ogun is currently one of the few states in the federation that is able
    to pay workers salaries as and when due, in spite of the current economic downturn.

    “Despite the current financial crisis affecting the country, salaries have been paid up to February 2016 for all categories of workers in the state. In spite of the fact that Ogun is one of the states that
    receives the least allocation from the Federation Account, it pays the highest wages to workers in Nigeria.”

    Regarding the arrest, the Secretary of the Negotiating Council, Adebiyi Olusegun told reporters on Tuesday  that the Police accosted the three of their  leaders who were monitoring the strike at the main
    gate and were arrested shortly the arrival of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Taiwo Adeoluwa at the Secretariat.

    “It was peaceful initially until the SSG arrived. We exchange banters and just few meters away, the Police came telling us that we have only five minutes to leave the area. Then, came from nowhere there
    was tear gas. It was in that process that they drag the three leaders from the car and handcuffed them and drove them to the Trade Fair Complex Police station.

    “Thereafter, we got in touch with our state leaders and who came to intervene. They wanted them to write statement, but, we told them that would be done before the media.”

    The state chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Akeem Ambali who addressed reporters  briefed newsmen at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat, Abeokuta,  said the arrest of their
    members would not in any affect the dampen the resolve of the workers to continue with the strike.

    “We are not going to be intimidated by government move to arrest of some of us. We have told the Police that no statement would be written except his briefing at Iwe Irohin. We condemn the arrest and I can tell you that the strike is still on,” Ambali said.

    The Nation however  gathered that the arrested leaders were later released by the Police.

  • Workers strike paralyse govt’s business in Ogun

    Indefinite strike  by civil servants paralysed government business in Ogun State on Monday as the state workers stayed at home in obedience to the directive by the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNC).

    The state secretariat at Oke – Mosan looked forlorn and deserted  as the civil servants failed to resume, while school children who also returned home early as there were no  teachers to attend to them.

    At the two entrance leading to the Secretariat, representatives of the JNC were seen with public address system  asking visitors and some workers to go back home and also  ensured that compliance to the strike was total.

    The workers commenced the strike  following an alleged failure of the state government to honour the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) it signed with tripartite labour unions last January.

    The reneged terms of the MOU by the state government ‎include the suspension of the dysfunctional Contributory Pension Scheme, payment of at least two months deductions out of nine and resumption of payment of gratuity that was stopped in October 2012.

    But reacting, Ogun state government said it is committed to the Workers’ Welfare and urged the  striking civil servants and doctors to return to work.

    It expressed surprise and regret at the decision of a few workers in the state civil service to embark on a strike action.