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Tag: Labour

  • Labour demands suspension of pension scheme in Ogun

    Labour demands suspension of pension scheme in Ogun

    The organised labour in Ogun has called for the suspension of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) over N82 billion unremitted pension deductions in the state.

    Speaking on behalf on their behalf at a news conference in Abeokuta on Wednesday, Nigeria Labour Congress, Ogun Chairman, Ademola Hameed-Benco, announced the position.

    He said labour rejected the full implementation of the scheme until all necessary administrative and financial structures are established and functional.

    NLC, Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Joint Negotiating Council (JNC) jointly agreed to demand a suspension of CPS implementation for civil servants.

    According to Hameed-Benco, the state government scheduled the full implementation of the scheme to begin on July 1.

    He said, “After meetings with affiliates and organs of Organised Labour, we find it necessary to publicly reject the scheme’s full implementation.

    “The Ogun Organised Labour supports postponing the CPS until all relevant preparations—financial and administrative—are completed.

    “Clearly, the Ogun State Government is unprepared to meet the expectations of the CPS.”

    He noted that CPS inconsistencies include the failure to remit over N82 billion deducted from workers in 17 years to Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs).

    “Other issues include the absence of a State Bureau of Contributory Pensions and a comprehensive CPS data register,” he added.

    He called for immediate dialogue with the state government to address the outstanding concerns.

  • FG vows to resolve all pending labour issues

    FG vows to resolve all pending labour issues

    The Federal Government has assured labour unions that it is working diligently to resolve all pending labour matters, urging them to have faith in its efforts.

    Mr Muhammad Dingyadi, Minister of Labour and Employment, gave the assurance when he received the leadership of Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), on a courtesy visit to his office on Wednesday in Abuja.

    Dingyadi, specifically  urged the JOHESU to be rest assured that their concerns were receiving adequate attention, as the government has initiated the necessary processes to resolve them.

    “I want to appeal to the health workers to always tow the path of  dialogue with the government on any nagging issue, as dialogue remained the right path to solutions..

    “I want to assure you that the resolution of the issues are being addressed and will be concluded soon,’ he said.

    The minister, commended JOHESU’s crucial role in the health sector and also their commitment to the well-being of Nigerians.

    Earlier, Mr Kabiru Minjibir, National President of JOHESU, commended the minister’s exemplary contribution to conflict resolution and industrial harmony in the country.

    He said some of the issues affecting the unions in the sector is the adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS).

    Minjibir also identified the payment of seven months (June – December 2023) arrears of CONHESS Review, among others.

  • PDP, Labour Party rep members defect to APC

    PDP, Labour Party rep members defect to APC

    Two members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) in the House of Representatives on Tuesday defected to All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The two members are: Rep. Peter Akpanke, representing Obabliku/Obudu/Bekwarra Federal Constituency of Cross River and Prof. Paul Nnamchi, representing Enugu East/Isi Uzo Federal Constituency of Enugu State.

    The two lawmakers cited internal rift within their former parties and the need to align with the Federal Government’s policies and programmes as reasons for their defections.

    Reading the letters of their cross carpeting during plenary, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Abbas Tajudeen, congratulated them for joining the ruling party.

  • Strike: Labour shifts ground in Cross River

    Strike: Labour shifts ground in Cross River

    The labour unions in Cross River State have postponed the planned industrial action slated to commence on Wednesday after negotiations hit dead end between the unions and the government.

    The organised labour however, slated a 2-day warning strike for November 25 and 26. The state Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mr Monday Ogbodum, disclosed this in Calabar on Tuesday.

    He said that the decision for the warning strike was arrived at following the meeting of various organs of organised labour in the state on Tuesday.

    Ogbodum however, said that the government had again invited labour to reconvene on Thursday after they (labour) staged a walkout from the meeting of the Joint Public Service Negotiating and Implementation Committee on the new minimum wage on Monday.

    According to him, we have just concluded our meetings and our agreement is that we will shelve the planned strike for Wednesday for a warning strike that will take place on Monday and Tuesday.

    “As for Thursday meeting, we will attend and if they are still not bringing anything concrete on the table by Thursday, we will have no option than to embark on the national strike slated for December 1. But the warning strike will definitely take place on Monday and Tuesday.”

    It would be recalled that the labour unions had attributed government inaction towards implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage as the reason for their walkout.

    “From the look of things, this same committee seems not ready for anything. We have heard from grapevine that the government is not looking at commencing implementation until January 2025. Our worry is that the Cross River Governor was a member of this committee that gave birth to the new wage.

    “He was South South representative in that committee and he is the one lagging behind while other states have already made pronouncement on this new wage to the workers.

    “Before now, he has assured us that he will implement whatever that is agreed upon. As we speak, there is no sign of seriousness that the government is ready for the workers.”

    Also speaking on Monday, the NLC chairman in the state, Mr Gregory Olayi, said that labour staged a walkout because the government representative in the committee appeared not serious .

    He said that aside the fact that the government had not put anything on the table, the government representative seemed not to be acting on the mandate of the governor.

    “In our last meeting on Thursday, they formed a technical committee which we had expected will come with something for us to discuss with. They came empty and unprepared from the look of things and we had to stage a walkout until they are prepared for us,” he said.

    Olayi said that labour was meeting with all its organs in Cross River on Tuesday and whatever decision of the organs would be followed.

    “We had on Thursday gave the government, a 7 day ultimatum, which expires Monday midnight. We will be meeting with all the organs and whatever decision taken, we all will see to it after the meeting on Tuesday.

  • FG hands over 64 CNG buses to labour unions, NANS

    FG hands over 64 CNG buses to labour unions, NANS

    The Federal Government has handed over 64 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to representatives of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).

    The handover of the buses took place on Sunday at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, as part of activities marking Nigeria’s 64th independence anniversary.

    Mr Wale Edun, the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, led the government delegation to the handover ceremony.

    The delegation included Alhaji Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Sen. Abubakar Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, and Mr Ayodele Olawande, Minister of State for Youth Development.

    Edun said when deployed for commuter service, the buses would significantly reduce transportation costs in the country, bringing hope for a more affordable and efficient public transport system.

    He described the distribution of the buses as fulfilling President Bola Tinubu’s promise to provide affordable and efficient transportation to support Nigerians after the removal of fuel subsidies under the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (PCNGi).

    He emphasised that this initiative aimed to alleviate the burden on the poor and vulnerable and support macroeconomic reforms that would position the country on the path to economic stability.

    The Minister further explained that the symbolic handover of 64 buses on the eve of Nigeria’s National Day marked the beginning of a broader national rollout.

    He said the Federal Government planned to distribute over 500 CNG buses and 100 electric vehicles in the first instance.

    He added that the CNG initiative aligned with Nigeria’s commitment to cleaner energy while leveraging its energy resources for industrialisation.

    “Today marks another critical milestone in the policies of President Tinubu. It is a transition to cleaner fuel. The emphasis is on mass transit,” said the minister.

    He said the Federal Government placed emphasis on intervening on the side of workers to ensure cheaper transport to enable them cope with rising prices.

    He also highlighted the CNG initiative impacted on inflation, saying: “We’ve had an initial spike in inflation, now it has peaked, and it is coming down.

    “Mr President and the whole team are determined to ensure that we keep inflation coming down, and this is one of the major ways.”

    The Coordinating Minister of the Economy noted that the fuel cost for CNG-powered vehicles was about one-third of the fuel for petrol-powered vehicles.

    According to him, motorists can now pay as low as N15,000 to fill a tank instead of N50,000 or more.

    “Today, it is CNG. Tomorrow, it will be helping farmers to cope with the remainder of the wet season planting and then the dry season planting, starting from November, with fertiliser, inputs, seeds, and herbicides.

    “This is all to get prices down and get the economy moving again,” he said.

    Comrade Nuhu Toro, the Secretary-General and Chief Executive of TUC; Comrade Lucky Emonefe, NANS president, and Comrade Uche Ekwe, the Head of International Desk, NLC, commended Tinubu for the gesture.

    They called for more CNG buses to be made available to the public.

    Toro thanked the President for implementing the N70,000 new national minimum wage.

    “This move is a significant step in alleviating the economic burden of Nigerian workers,” he said.

    Emonefe praised the government for its commitment to education and student welfare, citing the provision of a student loan scheme for higher education.

    “Nigerian students are happy to be celebrating the 64th anniversary of independence.

    “We are not only happy with the CNG buses; we believe that the current President loves the welfare of students and has shown his commitment to this,” said Emonefe.

    The NLC representative noted that the benefits of the CNG buses would become more apparent once more buses were deployed across the country.

    “If we get more buses, the effect will translate immediately to Nigerians. If people start entering these buses, they will publicise it in the public and their neighbourhood,” he said.

    Mr Michael Oluwagbemi, Programme Director/Chief Executive of PCNGi, said that since its establishment one year ago, over 125 conversion centres had been established, compared to the initial seven.

    He said investment in the sector had exceeded 175 million dollars, with 12 new mother stations commissioned and 75 more under construction.

    “Technician training is being ramped up, with 40 new technicians trained weekly. Over 34,000 conversion kits have been ordered, with more than half already distributed,” he said.

    He added that vehicle conversions were taking place at 53 centres in eight states, and that the centres would be expanded to all the 36 states and the FCT.

  • Just in: I had no agreement with labour on fuel price-Tinubu declares

    Just in: I had no agreement with labour on fuel price-Tinubu declares

    President Tinubu has denied reaching any agreement with Labour on the Fuel Price increase.

    The Presidency has said at no time did President Bola Tinubu promise the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) that his administration would not increase the pump price of fuel.

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Print Media, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, said this on Tuesday, in reaction to organized labour’s outcry that workers have been betrayed.

    Recall that the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, demanded an immediate reversal of the adjusted fuel price increase by Tinubu’s government.
    Ajaero said Labour accepted the ₦70,000 minimum wage because the President promised there would not be an increase in fuel price.

    Labour had in the build-up to the minimum wage negotiation, held onto ₦250,000 to be the minimum wage.

    “We are filled with a deep sense of betrayal as the federal government clandestinely increases the pump price of PMS. One of the reasons for accepting N70,000 as national minimum wage was the understanding that the pump price of PMS would not be increased even as we knew that N70,000 was not sufficient.

    “We recall vividly when Mr President gave us the devil’s alternatives to choose from: either N250,000 as minimum wage (subject to the rise of the pump price between N1,500 and N2,000) and N70,000 (at old pms rates), we opted for the latter because we could not bring ourselves to accept further punishment on Nigerians,” Labour said, in a statement, on Tuesday.

    Abdulaziz, in response, accused Ajaero and Labour of playing dirty politics and deceiving Nigerians. He stated that the two meetings Tinubu had with Labour had no discussion concerning fuel price increases in exchange for minimum wage.

    “I sat through the two meetings President Bola Tinubu had with Labour leaders on minimum wage. At neither of the meetings was an offer made in exchange of fuel price hike. Ajaero is once again playing his dirty politics with the emotions of Nigerians,” Abdulaziz wrote on his X handle.

  • Labour-baiting: Nigerian history is not an orphan – By Owei Lakemfa

    Labour-baiting: Nigerian history is not an orphan – By Owei Lakemfa

    Two occurrences in the past week made me reach the conclusion that either the government is baiting the labour unions or there are quite active  fifth columnists in the Tinubu administration.

    The first, is the  laughable ban of the trade unions from politics including working within the Labour Party, LP which the established  in 2002, that is 21 years before the Tinubu administration came to power. The second is the rather baffling August 7, 2024 invasion of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC headquarters by armed security men who came like thieves in the night. The invaders like bandits, broke down doors and carted away property. In a rather curious way, they made a bookshop on the premises, one of their primary targets. Not even under the military were   bookshops and books targets. Yes, the military was anti-intellectual and accused  university lecturers of teaching what they were not paid to teach. But those fascists from the barracks did not take books as hostages.

    When the NLC made public the invasion, there was silence from government. At a point, some started wondering whether the invaders were  ghosts or Martians. It sounded so incredible that someone mused that the NLC, smarting from some attacks that it stayed out of the ‘EndBadGovernance’ protests, might have stage-managed the invasion.

    Finally, the office of the Inspector General of Police owned up. Its rationalization for the attack did not give  much credit to any intelligence by the Nigeria Police Force, NPF.   The NLC office is an imposing 12-storey building with the inscription, Labour House which is visible many streets away. It is also a well-known building which the NPF has raided many times over the years especially with Lawrence Alobi as then FCT Police Commissioner. So how can the police be selling  the kindergarten tale that when it invaded  the premises, it was not aware that they were the NLC offices. Police Spokesperson Olumuyiwa Adejobi in spinning this yarn claimed that the premises raided: “…turned out to be  the NLC building.”  He further claimed that the raid: “was solely aimed at apprehending  the prime suspect-a foreign national implicated  in numerous  criminal activities  across Nigeria and other African countries.”

    If this were so, why didn’t the police visit during  work hours when the bookshop was open, and arrest the so-called suspect? Why wait until the night when he must have gone home before raiding the premises?

    The police emphasized that its raid  was not aimed at: “ the  NLC, its Secretariat, staff or leadership.” If this were so, why did it raid the main NLC office on the 10th Floor where the offices of the Congress President, General Secretary and most  principal officers  are located,  when the bookshop is on the second floor?

    There is the more serious issue of the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkiruka Onyejeocha  on behalf of the government attempting to ban labour from politics.  Minister Onyejeocha purports to rely on  Section 15 (1) (2) (3) of the Trade Unions Act Cap T14 & T15 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 which bans trade unions from using  union dues for political purposes.

    She told the NLC and the TUC that the political objectives of  this section includes barring them directly or indirectly from  incurring any cost or making any payment in  holding political  meetings, distributing  literature or documents supporting any   candidate or prospective candidate for election to any political office in Nigeria or any part of Nigeria

    This is all a joke because even President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his campaign team in the 2023 Presidential elections, held meetings with  both labour centres in which the trade unions and labour leaders incurred costs including  transporting themselves to such meetings.   For instance, President Tinubu as the APC Presidential candidate on December 19, 2022 at the Chida Hotel, Abuja, personally held a political meeting with leaders of the TUC and NLC.

    He was accompanied to that meeting by his running mate, now Vice President  Kashim Shettima; then  Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, now the Chief of Staff;  then Governor Atiku Bagudu, Kebbi, now Minister of Budget and Economic Planning;  then Governor Simon Lalong of  Plateau State who became  Labour Minister, and is today, a  Senator; then Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa State, now Minister of Defence and  Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq  of Kwara State.

    At that meeting, President Tinubu promised that if elected, he would check mass unemployment, poverty, challenges in the education sector, the weak industrial base of the economy  and evolve  a credit system that would enable workers own  their own houses.

    Speaking directly to the NLC, TUC and their affiliate unions, Tinubu acknowledged their political rights and contributions to politics: “You have also been involved in the struggle for democracy and political rights. Your collective efforts breathe life into the democratic rights and economic ideals enshrined in our constitution.”

    The constitution he was referring to is the Nigerian Constitution  which states in Section 40: “Every person shall be entitled to assemble freely and associate with other persons, and in particular he may form or belong to any political party, trade union or any other association for the protection of his interests.”

    Minister Onyejeocha ought to know that the country’s constitution she swore to  uphold, is superior to the labour law she is labouring to quote. She and those she represents must know that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria supersedes, over rides and cancels any other law in the country that is inconsistent with it, and, that  other law, to that extent, is  null, void and of no effect.

    In colonial times, the colonialists could not stop the trade unions from politics. In fact, the first national political party, the National Council of Nigeria and Cameroons, NCNC was founded in 1944 primarily by the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUCN, the Nigeria Union of Students, NUS and  the small Democratic  Party led by Herbert Macaulay.

    In the First Republic, labour leaders participated actively  not just in partisan politics, but also elections. Some of them like Haroun Poopola Adebola and Samuel Udoh Bassey were elected into the Federal Parliament. In the Second Republic, labour leaders ran elections and some of them like Ayoola Adeleke  and  Joseph Ansa were elected Senators.  In fact, the  first Labour Party was founded in 1950 by labour leaders led by Michael Imoudu. The second one was established in 1989 while the present, is the third one. If the military could not ban trade unions from politics, what gives  Minister Onyejeocha the impression that she can convert the Labour Ministry into a court and magisterially ban the NLC, TUC and their affiliates from politics?

    What we are witnessing  are  poorly scripted  Nollywood sketches.

  • Minimum Wage: Consider State, LG’s ability to pay, PDP Govs. tell Labour, FG

    Minimum Wage: Consider State, LG’s ability to pay, PDP Govs. tell Labour, FG

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum, has urged the organised Labour and the Federal Government to consider State and Local Government’s ability to pay minimum wage in their negotiation.

    The Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State made the call in a communique issued  at the end of the forum’s meeting at the Government House, Enugu on Wednesday.

    NAN reports that all the PDP Governors attended the meeting, its National Working committees and other organs with the exception of Gov. Ademola Adeleke of Osun State.

    Reading the communique, Mohammed noted that the minimum wage negotiation was becoming unduly protracted in the face of attending unprecedented hardship and impoverishment of the majority of the people.

    While reiterating the forum’s full support to labour demand, the Chairman said agreement must be taken to consider the ability to pay by the sub national, Federal Government and the third tier  of government.

    “The labour demand which is  substantially salary raise is eminently justified and therefore called  for proper support of the forum.

    “While negotiation are ongoing, we appeal for restraining of utterance and actions that could lead to complete breakdown of law and order and ultimately lead to the collapse of the economy,” he said.

    On the economy, Mohammed  expressed dismay and great concern on the mismanagement of the economy by the APC led government, urging them to take proactive measures to save Nigeria from collapsing.

    Mohammed added that the forum would  continue to support the autonomy of the local government as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and as ruled by the Supreme Court.

    According to him, PDP Governors believe in the efficacy of the local government system which ensures that governance is brought closer to the people as provided in the constitution.

    On the off-season election in Edo and Ondo States,  the governor admonished all the parties to ensure that their campaigns were issue based, violence free and compliance to the procedures of the Electoral Act.

    Mohammed called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to provide enabling environment that guaranteed level play ground, fairness and peaceful elections, maintaining that any act of  bias would  be totally resisted by the party.

    “We therefore, urge Mr President to show leadership as a true democratic and refrain from making any statement suggesting political interference in the entire election process,” he advised.

  • Labour told to accept N62,000 minimum wage offer

    Labour told to accept N62,000 minimum wage offer

    A former Permanent Secretary in Osun, Alhaji Fatai Kolawole, has urged civil servants in Nigeria to accept the N62,000 new minimum wage offered by the Federal Government.

    Kolawole, who retired as Permanent Secretary in the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), stated this in an interview with newsmen on Wednesday in Modakeke, Ife East Local Government Area of Osun.

    He attributed his position on the new minimum wage for Nigerian workers on the present economic downturn which, he said, was global.

    Kolawole, however, described the economic challenges as a passing phase, calling on Nigerians, particularly the civil servants, to exercise patience with President Bola Tinubu on the country’s economic condition.

    He said that the civil servants should consider the N62,000 minimum wage offered by the government for now, as thing would be getting better gradually.

    The retired permanent secretary expressed the hope that prices of petroleum products would soon come down, particularly with the ongoing turn-around maintenance of the Port Harcourt Refinery and the coming on stream of Dangote Refinery.

    “Dangote Refinery has reduced diesel price from N1,600 to N1,200 per litre and has said that by July, petrol will come down to between N400 and N400 per litre.

    “We should note that the economic downturn is global, as those in foreign countries are also not having it easy.

    “So what is happening is not in Nigeria alone. It should, however, be seen as a passing phase,” he said.

    Kolawole noted that the federal government was re-jigging the system during which things might be a bit hard.

    “This is a bitter pill that Nigeria must take now and hopefully, within the next one year, things will change for better. Surely, there’s light at the end of the tunnel,” he said.

    The retired technocrat expressed confidence in the handlers of the nation’s economy, whom he described as capable hands, assuring that the things would soon turn around for better.

  • NLC responds to Tinubu’s claim on agreed minimum wage

    NLC responds to Tinubu’s claim on agreed minimum wage

    The organised Labour has reacted to claims by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that an agreement has been reached on new national minimum wage in his nationwide broadcast to mark Democracy Day.

    In his national broadcast to mark the 2024 Democracy Day in Abuja on Wednesday, Tinubu claimed that a consensus had been reached on the long-debated new minimum wage between the Federal Government and organised labour.

    Tinubu revealed that an executive bill will soon be sent to the National Assembly to formalise the new minimum wage agreement.

    However, in a statement on Wednesday, the acting President of Nigeria Labour Congress, Prince Adewale Adeyanju, said there was no agreement reached by the Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage at the time negotiations ended on Friday, June 7, 2024.

    Adeyanju stated that rather, two figures such as N250,000 from Organised Labour and N62,000 from the government and Organised Private Sector, were arrived at and ought to have been submitted to the President.

    The labour leader asserted that anything to the contrary was not only doctored but won’t be accepted by Labour.

    The statement reads, “The NLC would have expected that the advisers of the President would have told him that we neither reached any agreement with the federal government and the employers on the base figure for a National Minimum Wage nor on its other components.

    “Our demand still remains N250,000, (two hundred and fifty thousand Naira) only and we have not been given any compelling reasons to change this position which we consider a great concession by Nigerian workers during the tripartite negotiation process.

    “We are therefore surprised at the submission of Mr. President over a supposed agreement. We believe that he may have been misled into believing that there was an agreement with the NLC and TUC. There was none and it is important that we let the President, Nigerians and other national stakeholders understand this immediately to avoid a mix-up in the ongoing conversation around the national minimum wage.”