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Tag: joe ajaero

  • BREAKING: Police accuse NLC President, Ajaero of financing terrorism

    BREAKING: Police accuse NLC President, Ajaero of financing terrorism

    President of the Nigerian Labour Congress Joe Ajaero is to be guest of the Nigerian Police on Tuesday having been accused of terrorism financing.

    A letter addressed to Ajaero on Monday by the force headquarters showed that Ajaero is to report at the police facility near Guzape to answer questions over alleged terrorism, treason.

    A copy of the letter of invitation signed by a Assistant Commissioner of Police Adamu Muazu asked Ajaero to report at its facility to meet a team leader whose phone number was listed.

    Apart from terrorism and treasonable felony, Ajaero has been accused of cybercrime.

    The police in the letter indicated that should the NLC President fail to show up for the interrogation, it would not have option other than to procure a warrant of arrest against him.

    A copy of the letter as sighted by the NPO Reports
    In an immediate reaction to the letter, activist, Omoyele Sowore said that the Bola Tinubu administration is becoming a fascist government.

    The police had last week stormed the headquarters of the NLC in Abuja in an alleged invasion that sparked outrage.

    In the midst of the condemnations, the police had claimed that its operatives stormed the NLC office because of a suspect traced to one of the offices operating at the NLC premises.

  • Don’t send new minimum wage to NASS without consulting us – Labour tells Tinubu  

    Don’t send new minimum wage to NASS without consulting us – Labour tells Tinubu  

    The Organized Labour has advised President Bola Tinubu against presenting any proposed minimum wage figure to the National Assembly without prior consultation with them.

    The President of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Joe Ajaero and his counterpart from Trade Union Congress (TUC), Festus Osifo, stated this on Thursday while speaking on the sideline of the ongoing International Labour Conference at the Palais du Nation in Geneva, Switzerland.

    Ajaero said he expects Tinubu to invite tripartite bodies for a meeting where the ability to pay will be discussed, before arriving at a final figure.

     “We do not expect the President to present a final figure to the National Assembly without consulting with organised labour, employers, and state governors.

    “Everyone will still come together to discuss before transmission to the National Assembly.”

    This week, Organized Labour again insisted on N250,000 for the new minimum wage, while the federal government are only willing to go above N60,000.

    President Tinubu on Wednesday said he would soon send a bill to the National Assembly to enshrine what has been agreed upon with labour as new National Minimum wage as part of the law for the next five years or less.

    Tinubu did not announce a new minimum wage, but what has been tabled before him by the Tripartite Committee is N62,000.

     

     

  • Why we didn’t call for strike – NLC President, Ajaero

    Why we didn’t call for strike – NLC President, Ajaero

    The Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC) has revealed that they won’t embark on any strike action starting Tuesday to demand a new national minimum wage.

    .NLC President Joe Ajaero made this known during a press conference on Monday.

    Ajaero added that the figures the Tripartite Committee came up with are currently with President Bola Tinubu.

    According to him,  the N62,000 proposed by the government does not translate to labour accepting it as the new minimum wage.

    “We cannot declare strike now because the figures are with the President. We will wait for the President’s decision.

    “During the tenure of the immediate past president, the figure that was proposed to him was N27,000 by the tripartite committee but he increased it to N30,000. We are hopeful that this president will do the right thing,” Ajaero said.

  • Labour Party to Ajaero: Resign as NLC President to contest chairmanship, your rascality destructive

    Labour Party to Ajaero: Resign as NLC President to contest chairmanship, your rascality destructive

    Labour Party has asked the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajero to resign his position in order to contest for the Chairmanship of the party since he appears desperate to replace Julius Abure

    National Publicity Secretary of the LP, Obiora Ifoh, said this in a statement, in Abuja, on Saturday.

    He said the party’s attention was drawn to a Press Release titled ‘A misadventure in political mischief, mismanagement and misdemeanor gone too far’ written by the NLC’s Political Commission as an agent of the Nigeria Labour Congress.

    The NLC letter he said, did not come to party leaders as a surprise or a shock, because it was long expected before now, having known that the NLC was going to engage itself on this misadventure.

    Ifoh said, “Nigerians will recall that in 2014, NLC has been involved in a war of blackmail and attrition against the Labour Party and its leadership.

    “It was only recently, following the civil and diplomatic approach adopted by Barrister Julius Abure when he assumed leadership that he was able to get the then President of the NLC, Ayuba Waba and the then President of the Trade Union Congress, Olaleye Quadri to a truce where the NLC, TUC and Labour Party agreed to work together in harmony.

    “Unfortunately, the rascality of the current president of the NLC, Joe Ajaero has destroyed the successes already recorded. It must be noted that the NLC and its political commission have become a bundle of contradiction and paradox.

    “The Nigeria Labour Congress has written several letters to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and to the party on the need to conduct a national convention.

    “In fact, the NLC has queried even the rationale behind the one year extension which was graciously granted by the NEC in session in Asaba, which is in line with the party constitution.

    Article 14:4b of our party constitution mandates the National Secretary in consultation with the National Chairman to ‘issue notices of meetings of National Convention, NEC, NWC amongst others.

    “ It is in the exercise of this power that the national chairman and national Secretary have called for the convention following the decision of the national executive council of the party.

    “It is therefore ironical for the same NLC which has been agitating for a convention to now be demanding the rationale for the call for a convention.

    “At this point, the leadership of the party wants to ask the NLC, what exactly do they want? If Joe Ajero is interested in the leadership of the party, he is therefore advised to resign as the President of the NLC and join in the contest for the National Chairmanship of the party that is scheduled for the convention on the 27th of March, 2024.”

    He further said, “We must note that undue interference by the Nigeria Labour Congress on the affairs of the party has become worrisome and it has become needful to emphasis here the distinction that the Labour Party has a life of its own different from that of the Nigeria Labour Congress.

    “ In fact, the 1999 Constitution states clearly that once a political party is registered, it has a life of its own whereby it can run it’s own affairs without any interference.

    “The Electoral Act and the Constitution provide that no organisation can own any other organisation. The NLC as an organisation can not claim the ownership of the Labour Party.

    “The constitution of the party is clear that it is only those who subscribe to the party and those who are financial members of the party are the owners of the party and therefore can have a say on the affairs of the party.

    “The interference of the present leadership of the NLC on the party is really choking and we can hardly breath. It is this NLC leadership which pressured on the Party not to give His Excellency, Alex Otti the governorship ticket for the 2023 general election on the ground that he was allegedly not workers’ friendly when he was a Chief Executive of a bank.

    “But today, that same Alex Otti is doing Labour Party proud with the work he is doing in Abia state.

    “Again, the same NLC attempted to prevail on the leadership of the party to upload a different candidate other than Senator Athan Achonu after he won the Imo state party primaries under the Labour Party.

    “It will shock Nigerians to know that members and officials of the NLC are not even card carrying members of the Labour Party. All over the country, NLC members have been found to be supporting either the APC or the PDP.

    “It is again of importance to make certain clarification as to the so called judgements that were referred to by the NLC, we must indicate clearly that the Labour Party is not in default of any court judgment whatsoever.

    “The agreement reached by the NLC to call for a convention is what we are following, we have fully implemented that agreement and the convention is in line with the agreement. We are therefore not in any default of court judgment as erroneously implied by the NLC.

    “We therefore want to advise the NLC and its commission that it should focus only on its statutory responsibilities of defending the workers and the workers’ right.

    “Today minimum wage is N30.000 while a bag of rice is N80.000. We hear NLC talk about ethos and ethics of the Labour movement and the Labour Party, this is also an NLC that cannot call or sustain a strike for one or two days without calling it off.

    “This is an NLC which cannot think of calling a protest and sustaining it in order to get the attention of the government for the interest of the workers.

    “The present NLC should take a time to listen to the opinion Nigerians have formed about them. Can the NLC of today in any way be compared to NLC of the then Hassan Sumounu, Adams Oshiohmole and a few others in the past?”

    The party equally advised Joe Ajero to emulate leadership of Ayuba Waba, Olaleye Quadri and Osifo in working closely with the party.

    It noted that the ill-intended Press Release by the Political Commission also made a reference to spurious allegations made by the suspended National treasurer, Oluchi Opara and it attempted to give it some credence.

    Adding, “This clearly exposes the mischief by the NLC to hoodwink the people. We have stated clearly that the total money received by the party was N1.3 billion and no other report has contradicted it.

    “So for the NLC to be quoting that spurious allegations goes to show that they are part of the challenges Labour Party has been facing.

    “We are shocked that NLC which was a victim of a recent harassment, threat to life and brutalization of its president would express shock over similar treatment meted to our chairman, Barrister Julius Abure who was brutalized for political reasons and nothing more.

    “We must also state clearly that our leader, Peter Obi made reference to the audit of the campaign account and not forensic audit for the Labour Party. In any case, we have stated clearly that the Labour Party is open to forensic audit of its accounts.

    We are even calling on the NLC to send its own external auditors to check our financial books. We are also calling on Peter Obi to expedite action on the auditing of our accounts. And for the NLC to be using this as a cheap blackmail is to show their high level of desperation and mischief.”

  • There’ll be total shutdown if we re Attacked — NLC sends strong warning to state

    There’ll be total shutdown if we re Attacked — NLC sends strong warning to state

    Following the February 27 and 28 to protest against the hardship in the country, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has warned that there would be total shutdown of the economy if its members are attacked by ‘thugs’.

    The labour union had fixed February 27 and 28 to protest against the hardship in the land.

    However, the President of NLC, Joe Ajaero in a statement issued Sunday said the workers would not be intimidated, saying they would go ahead with the planned protest.

    He informed Nigerians that the State had perfected plans to attack their peaceful rallies across the country.

    Ajaero added that one of the groups being primed to attack the peaceful rallies is by a nebulous name, Nigeria Civil Society Forum (NCSF).

    He alleged that NCSF waa one of the emergency groups put together, funded, promoted and remote-controlled by the government to cause violence against its members for electing to peacefully protest against the hunger in the land.

    Ajaero noted that the solution to the horrible economic situation and hunger is not by suppressing peaceful dissent or inflicting violence on peacefully protesting citizens as the government did in Minna and other cities where its agents tear-gassed and beat up women before locking them up for raising their voice against hunger.

    He stressed that It does not lie in the deployment of State -sponsored terror, adding that the pangs of hunger cannot be cowed by bullets or tear gas.

    Ajaero said: “In light of this, we at the Nigeria Labour Congress and civil society allies are moving ahead with our protest rallies against economic hardship and insecurity in line with the decision of the National Executive Council.

    “As citizens, we have a fundamental right to peaceful protest and history bears us witness that our protests are always peaceful except in instances of State-engineered violence.

    “In light of this, we advise the State to put on its thinking cap and find solutions to the pains it continues to cause the people instead of further dehumanising them.

    “However, if it is irrevocably set on the path of violence against us and other peace-loving Nigerians, it will be making a costly mistake because if we are attacked there will be a total shut down via withdrawal of services by workers. Let no one be deceived, we and other deprived Nigerians cannot easily be intimidated.”

     

  • NLC President releases fresh update on Tinubu’s N35,000 wage award

    NLC President releases fresh update on Tinubu’s N35,000 wage award

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says that the N35,000 wage award agreement with the Federal Government will continue until a new minimum wage is determined.

    Mr Joe Ajaero, NLC President, said this in an interview on Monday in Abuja.

    It would be recalled that President Bola Tinubu on Oct.1, had approved N35,000 as the provisional wage increment for all treasury-paid workers for six months.

    This was part of an agreement reached with the organised labour to cushion the effect of the removal of fuel subsidy.

    However, the federal government have only paid two months of the wage award that commenced in September 2023.

    Ajaero, while speaking against the backdrop of the payment of the wage award, said the payment would run for only six months before the commencement of the national minimum wage.

    According to him, we did not sign six months wage award with the Federal Government, we sign a wage award that will be in existence until the new minimum wage is determined.

    “We are in the process of collating the compliance of the federal government on the payment of the wage award and we have even had a conversation with the leadership of the Trade Union Congress(TUC) on this .

    “We have asked our affiliates to collate the level of compliance to this and we are still waiting for their correspondents.

    “Even last week, during a courtesy call, I raised the issue with the Minister of Labour and Employment on that, it is not just the wage award, the entire agreement we had with them, they have not conceded to it,’’ he said.

    Ajaero noted that other issues that were yet to be implemented by the federal government includes the Port Harcourt refineries, CNG buses, wage award, among others.

    He however, assured workers that the issues were being looked into holistically.

    According to him, I have asked the federal government to go through all the agreement they have entered with us because that is where we are starting the year from.

    “We are not starting the year from even minimum wage, we have to look at the sanity and compliance to the agreement already entered with the government.

    “So far, it has not been rosy, there seems to be nobody that is keeping tap with the agreement and at a time like this, we need to get it right at the beginning of the year, so we are working on this issues seriously,” he said.

  • What would have happened if I died in Imo – NLC President

    What would have happened if I died in Imo – NLC President

    President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Joe Ajaero has said not even his death would stop the struggle for the payment of workers held salaries in Imo State.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Mr Ajaero to have said if he had died in the assault on him in Imo, the people that would take over, would be more daring.

    Ajaero, who said this at a news conference on Friday in Abuja, assured the workers in Imo that the NLC would not relent in its struggle for their welfare including the 20 months salary arrears owed by the State government.

    Recall that the NLC had declared a protest in Imo, led by Ajaero on November 1 over alleged anti-workers policies by the State government.

    It would also be recalled that Ajaero was allegedly attacked by security agents and hoodlums in the State.

    Ajaero said not even his death would stop the struggle for the 20 months non payment of salaries for workers in the state.

    “Not even my death could have stopped the struggle for the payment of those workers salaries.

    “If I had died in the process, the people that would take over, would be more daring. Any of the deputies here that would take over, would have been more decisive.

    “So nobody is backing out, it is a question of allowing justice to prevail and the people you are owing you pay them” he said.

    Ajaero while narrating his ordeals noted that workers who earlier gathered for the protest at the NLC Secretariat in Owerri were beaten and all their phones taken away.

    According to him, I arrived there by 9 a.m with about 20 security personnel and was about to address journalists on the situation of things.

    “Before, I could even address the journalists,  police and other people in mufti came in and withdrew all the security there.

    “They arrested me and handed me over to thugs who dragged me on the ground, hit me with all manner of things and tied my eyes. There were about seven of them.

    “They started asking me why I was challenging  Gov. Hope Uzodimma and that I should say my last prayers and that they were going to throw me into Njaba River.

    “From there, I did not know how the same people to police headquarters. But I thank God that I am alive today,”he said.

    He also noted that Uzodimma had  also accused him of playing local politics.

    The NLC president said that he not a card carrying member of any political party in Nigeria.

    “I do not have any family members or whatever running for election but they are free to run if they are interested.

    “‘If I want to run for any office tomorrow I will pick the form of any party.

    “As a governor he should be privileged to some classified information to say which political party I belong to,” he said.

    Speaking, Mr Emma Ugboaja, NLC General Secretary, reiterated  call for an indefinite nationwide  from Nov. 13, midnight to compel the Federal Government to do the needful.

    “We will not accept the torture, humiliation, brutalisation of a citizen, a citizen that has global status.

    “So, from Tuesday,  Nov 14, the Nigerian workers will be withdrawing their services.

    “Because if the president of NLC and his team were used as the point of contact, hundreds of workers have also been  brutalized.

    “He is just the figurehead of what transpired. As we speak nothing has been done. So, we cannot continue like this as a nation,” he said.

    On medical treatment abroad, he said NLC was against medical tourism.

  • IGP finally orders investigation into attack on NLC President

    IGP finally orders investigation into attack on NLC President

    The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered an investigation into circumstances surrounding the alleged assault on the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr Joe Ajaero.

    The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, stated this at a press conference on Friday in Owerri, ahead of Saturday’s governorship election in Imo.

    “Consequently, he has directed the Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department, to take over the matter with the primary objective of ascertaining the true facts surrounding the incident.

    “The DIG is to address any ambiguities that may exist as the Police have been inundated with different versions of the incident making investigation imperative to clear the conflicting accounts.

    “The Nigeria Police Force understands the importance of transparency and accountability in maintaining public trust,” he stated.

    Adejobi reiterated IGP’s assurances to the public, most especially the leadership of organised labour, that a thorough and unbiased inquiry will be conducted to provide clarifications.

    He urged organised labour and the public to remain calm, as the IGP has personally intervened to address the issues surrounding the incident.

    “Investigation has commenced, and the Nigeria Police Force guarantees that it will be followed to a conclusive end, and appropriate actions will be taken based on the findings of the investigation,” he said.

    It would be recalled that on Nov. 1, Ajaero was reportedly arrested by police operatives in Owerri and later beaten up by suspected thugs after being taken to an unknown destination.

    The NLC president had barely led workers to protest over unpaid salaries in the state on the fateful day when the incident occurred.

  • Imo Governor, Uzodinma apologizes to NLC president, Joe Ajaero over attack

    Imo Governor, Uzodinma apologizes to NLC president, Joe Ajaero over attack

    Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo state has apologized to the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero over the assault meted out to him  during the NLC protest in the state.

    Uzodinma describe the incident as highly unfortunate and regrettable.

    Recall that Ajaero was attacked and brutalised by men suspected to be loyal to Uzodinma in connivance with operatives of the state Police command.

    However, the Imo state police command has denied their involvements in the allegation, saying that it took Ajaero into protective custody after receiving intel of planned mob action against the union’s leader.

    The governor, who spoke during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today, said the attack on Ajaero is regrettable to him and the government, insisting he would never support violence.

    After apologising to Ajaero, the Govenor advised him to act in a more civilized manner.

    He said, “I was unaware that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) president was in my state. What I did was to condemn the action. I have never disagreed with the labour union.”

    “It has nothing to do with my government. Whether Joe Ajaero is the President of NLC or not, I would not wish this to happen to any human being. Of course, I have to apologise because it happened in my state.”

    “I am a Christian and believe in God. I can’t support violence. I can never support violence. Whatever happened to Joe Ajaero in my state which I am not aware of that led to him being assaulted must be regretted by both my government and myself.”

    “Going forward I will also like him to do things in a more civilised manner. That was the point I was making. A man who is from my state to go on the street without clearing me out; without bringing all the allegations before me,” Uzodinma added.

     

  • Hope Uzodinma accuses Ajaero of pursuing Labour Party’s Interest in Imo

    Hope Uzodinma accuses Ajaero of pursuing Labour Party’s Interest in Imo

    Governor Hope Uzodimma has accused President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, for pursuing the agenda of the Labour Party in Imo State.

    Uzodinma made this statement during an interview with Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Thursday.

    According to him, “He (Ajaero) has said times with number that he is a member of Labour Party (LP). He has a candidate in the election of Imo State. So, he is driving whatever programme that will give advantage to Labour Party in Imo State.”

    Ajaero was attacked in Owerri last Wednesday just before a planned protest in the state to press the state government to heed the demands of the workers in the state. the NLC accused the Uzodimma government of supervising the assault on Ajaero but the government has denied the allegations.

    The NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) had since ordered shutdown of essential services in Imo as protest for the attack on Ajaero and declared a nationwide strike effective November 14, 2023.

    On Wednesday, aviation unions in Nigeria directed their workers to withdraw services to all public and private Owerri flights (both inwards and outwards) with effect from midnight. The unions said the strike is indefinite until otherwise directed by the NLC and the TUC.

    On Thursday, Labour picketed the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja and grounded air travel activities at the airport.

    Speaking on Channels Television’s programme on Thursday, Uzodimma said he does not know why the NLC leader has been hostile to his government but he looks forward to the day he will engage Labour.

    “It’s surprising that an NLC president from Imo State will be hostile to my government,” he said.