TheNewsGuru

Tag: NLC

  • FG foot-dragging implementation of new minimum wage – NLC

    The Vice-President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Solomon Adelegan, announced on Wednesday that the Federal Government was foot-dragging on negotiating a new minimum wage for workers.

    Adelegan, who made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, said that negotiating a new wage for workers was long overdue.

    “The agreement on new minimum wage as posited by the NLC Chairman Ayuba Wabba is long overdue because the former document signed by the government and labour is renewable after every fifth year.

    “As I speak now, we are in the seventh year, meaning it is overdue for review and we have sent letters to the appropriate quarters for the negotiation to commence but there is no word from government.

    “We have done our part since about four months ago when we presented our recommendation but government has yet to commence.

    “We want to let the government know that our patience is running out on this issue. On our part, there are many options open to us.”

    Adelegan said that there might not be a decent workforce if the workers were working under duress, engendered by poverty as a result of poor remuneration.

    “The position of the NLC is simple, when we talk about decent workforce, there should be a commensurate pay to drive them.

    “Nigerian workers are working under unfavourable condition. How long will it take government’s team to engage labour if they are serious with the negotiation?

    “We are calling on government to expedite action on the new minimum wage without delay because the present pay being received now is a shame, considering the current economic hardship.

    “The impact of recession as claimed by the government is only felt by the workers.’’

    Adelegan said that in spite of the hardships brought by recession, workers in some state were owed salaries; a development, he described as disheartening.

    “In recession, some state governments still owe the meager salary they are paying their workforce; this to us is unacceptable and appalling.

    “Benue State government owes 13 months’ salary, including the local government workers. In kogi State, the government is owing workers to the tune of three years.

    “This is a crisis we want to avert.

    “The government is claiming lack of fund but their officials are all over the place squandering the revenue, driving new posh cars and all what have you. This is quite exploitative on the part of government.

    “We will soon call out Nigerian workers to stand up to their rights and we will implore them to give us their maximum support to making their lives meaningful because government has the resources to pay.”

     

     

     

  • Restructuring won’t substitute for good governance, respect for rule of law – NLC

    The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has said that if the Federal Government finally heeds the deafening calls for the restructuring in the country, it still won’t substitute for good governance and respect for rule of law by the ruling class.

    This was revealed on Monday by the NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba in Abuja at a symposium with the theme: “Making Nigeria Work for the people organised by the Congress to mark Nigeria’s 57th Independence Day.

    He said that one of the problems facing Nigeria was the absence of good governance.

    “This crisis of good governance is exemplified by the massive corruption in our body politics.

    “This, in turn, is responsible for the huge unemployment crisis, poor service delivery and continued absence of dividends of democracy for the majority of our people.

    “The latest manifestation of this is the refusal by a number of states government to fulfil their elementary obligations to their workers by not paying salaries and pensions as at when due.

    “So, for us in the Congress, we look at restructuring as that which cannot be a substitute for good governance and respect for the rule of law,’’ he said.

    Wabba explained that as long as the political and bureaucratic elites continue to misappropriate and divert resources meant for development, the nation would not overcome its developmental challenges.

    The labour leader called on the Federal Government to reconstitute the National Minimum Wage Negotiating Council to negotiate a new minimum wage for workers.

    He warned that workers were running out of patience with the delay to reconstitute the Minimum Wage Negotiating Council.

    “The 2011 collective agreement entered into with the government at the last negotiations, provided for five years cycle for reopening negotiations, which is overdue.

    “Secondly, all economic indexes such as inflationary rate, cost of living, exchange rate, high cost of goods and services, among others, have shown that the current minimum wage of N18, 000 is obsolete.

    “There is an urgent need for the government to give the go-ahead for these negotiations to start as workers are running out of patience,’’ he said.

    Wabba urged the Federal Government to refocus its developmental programmes and planning to address the pressing needs of the vast majority of Nigerians.

    He also stressed the need for the government to address the issue of provision of employment for the teeming unemployed youths.

    In his contribution, Mr Jaiye Gaskiya, the convener, `Say No Campaign,’ stressed the need for the federal government to properly manage the issue of restructuring, “or else it might end up “creating food for the boys’’.

    “We need to be careful or else it will breed more crises in the country, ‘’he warned.

    On Nigeria at 57, Gaskiya said the business of having a better Nigeria does not rest on the shoulders of the leaders alone.

    “The citizens also have a role to play in nation building.

    “The citizens must not stand aloof and behave as if they have no business in nation building,’’ he said.

    Also speaking, Mr Victor Ekpo, NLC National Youth Committee Chairperson, called for a better Nigeria where all the citizens are given equal rights irrespective of their state, religion or economic class.

    He expressed dismay that about 70 percent of Nigeria’s youth population of not less than 64 million youths are unemployed.

    He stressed the need for governments at all levels to institute good governance structure that would create decent jobs, security, that would discourage migration of the youths.

    Ekpo also harped on the need for stability in the political system where youths are carried along.

    “Our politicians should stop embezzling our future, ‘’he said.

  • Why we shunned Ajimobi’s Independence celebration programme – Olubadan, NLC

    The Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji, and the leadership of Oyo State branch of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have why they did not attend the Oyo State Independence celebration programme held at the state in commemoration of the nation’s 57th Independence anniversary.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the event, which held at the Main Bowl of Lekan Salami Sports Complex at Adamasingba in Ibadan, the state capital, was attended by members of the State Executive Council (Exco), heads of ministerial and extra-ministerial boards, agencies and corporations.

    Others in attendance are security chiefs, including, police commissioner, the General Officer Commanding the 2 Mechanised Division of the Nigerian Army, High Court judges and members of the House of Assembly.

    Traditional rulers at the event included the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi; the Otun Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Lekan Balogun; the Balogun of Ibadan, Oba Owolabi Olakuleyin and the Ashipa Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Eddy Oyewole.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Olubadan’s reserved seat was unoccupied throughout the period of the programme.

    In a similar the NLC members were equally absent at the ceremonial march past.

    The Olubadan said he would not have attended an event to which he was not invited.

    The monarch’s media aide, Mr. Adeola Oloko, said though he was not at the palace yesterday, but he was not aware of any invitation as at 11 a.m on Saturday he left the place.

    Oloko said if the palace did not get the government’s invitation to attend a programme that would hold less than 24 hours later, why would anyone expect the monarch to honour it?

    But when told that a source had hinted that the monarch’s invitation was delivered at 11 a.m on Saturday, the aide said he was not aware of such invitation at the same time he left the palace.

    He said: “I have not been to the palace today (Sunday) but I can tell you that at 11 a.m when I left the palace yesterday (Saturday), no invitation had been delivered to the palace from the state government.

    “But when I get to the palace, I will find out if any invitation was delivered to the palace. But come to think of it, if no invitation had been delivered to the monarch as at 11 a.m (on Saturday), which was barely 24 hours to an event, then what are we talking about?”

    NLC State Chairman Waheed Olojede said labour unions would not have attended the programme since the government did not invite the workers.

    The union leader, who said he confirmed if the situation is the same with the sister arm, the Trade Union Congress (TUC), added that both groups found it unbelievable that the government could organise such an event without inviting the workers.

    According to him, the workers had no bad blood with the state government but had supported the administration all along, despite being owed months of salaries and emoluments.

    He said the unions could have used the event to discuss with the government the workers’ outstanding salaries and emoluments since they had been supporting the government without complaints on the matter.

    Olojede urged the government to have a rethink of how they treat the workers noting that the workers must be seen as the engine room of any system and backbone of any success they want to achieve.

    The union leader warned that using labour as mere tools by those in government would no longer be tolerated by the leadership of the workers.

    He said: “Labour sees no reason to attend the Independence Day anniversary since the government also saw no reason to invite us.

    “We have been supporting the government, despite having salaries and emoluments outstanding with the government.

    “I spoke with my counterpart in TUC and I discovered the situation was the same. The workers would have used the opportunity to intimate the government of our welfare and outstanding salaries but the government decided to shut us out.

    “There is no bad blood between the workers and the government. As such, we are surprised that no invitation was extended to the workers.

    “However, on behalf of the leadership of the workers’ union, I congratulate the workers on the occasional of the Independence Day anniversary.

    “We also call on government structures to begin to have a rethink of how they treat workers. We must be seen as engine room of every system and the backbone of any success they might want to achieve.

     

  • NLC announces conditional suspension of strike in Zamfara

    The Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC), Zamfara chapter, on Monday announced a conditional suspension of the indefinite strike it embarked upon a fortnight ago.

    The announcement was made by the state NLC Chairman, Comrade Bashir Mafara, after a meeting of the State Executive Council (SEC) at its secretariat in Gusau.

    He said the conditional suspension followed the intervention of various stakeholders, including members of the state house of assembly, religious and traditional leaders as well as the state’s Elders Forum.

    Mafara said the conditional suspension of the strike would be for four weeks, during which the workers’ seven demands were expected to be met by the state government.

    “We are not doing this out of fear or intimidation but for the respect we have for the different categories of people that intervened in the matter,” the labour leader said.

    He directed all workers in the state to immediately resume work and await further instructions from the union’s leadership.

    The chairman commended the resilience of the workers, goodwill and support of the people of the state, as well as journalists and assured that the NLC would continue to do its best in meeting the expectations of the people.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the strike followed the failure of the government to pay arrears of entitlements including promotion, gratuity of pensioners and full implementation of the N18, 000 minimum wage.

     

     

    NAN

     

  • Okorocha, Bello, Dickson, 7 other govs owing workers’ salaries despite FG’s release of Paris Club refund – NLC

    …says 10 defaulting governors must give account of Paris Club refund spendings

    …kicks against increase in electricity tariff

    The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, on Tuesday made good its intention to name state governors who mismanaged the first and second tranches of the Paris Club refund released to them by the Federal Government.

    The congress also warned the government against approving another increase in electricity tariff, saying it will mobilise its affiliates, social partners and other Nigerians to resist any further increase when Nigerians were yet to get a good service foe the previous increase, which has been declared illegal by the court.

    This was revealed by the NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba.

    Wabba who spoke at the National Executive Council meeting of the Non Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) in Abuja, said six of the 10 states were in a terrible situation, pointing out that the congress had directed all states chapters whose members are owed more than three months salaries to declare an industrial action.

    In his words: “Out of the 36 states, we have 10 bad case scenario and out of this 10, we have six terrible ones. We have promised to name and shame them. Those states include Imo that has been paying workers salaries in percentage and has not declared utilisation of the bail out fund and Paris Club refund. It is part of the states that ICPC has mentioned in fund diversion.

    “They paid 40 percent pension to their pensioners without their consent and provided a form for them to sign under duress. That is not allowed in law. We have Bayelsa, which has between five to 10 months arrears. Ondo is owing between four and six, Ekiti (five to eight), Benue (five to eight) and Kogi, which is the worst case scenario.

    “We have three categories of workers in Kogi. We have 40 per cent that are being paid up to date, we have 25 per cent that has not been paid between eight and 16 months and another 25 per cent that has not been paid between eight and 21 months. In all, the sectors, they have categorised the workers into three categories.

    “We also have the case of Osun which is also paying in percentage, but is up to date. Ebonyi, unilaterally, without discussion with the union tried to reduce the salaries by certain percentage and have also not made available records of utilisation of the Paris Club refund.

    “We have the case of Zamfara, which is the only state that has not implemented the minimum wage and all attempt (including agreements they have signed) to get them to make available records of utilisation of those funds have failed. The last one is, Abia which has a problem with the parastatals. On the average, other states are above board.

    The NLC chief went on: “As I speak to you, both Zamfara and Benue are on strike and I am aware that Kogi has issued a notice, which is in conformity with the decision we took at our last NEC meeting that any state with liability of more than three months should start an action and we will be there to support them.”

    Speaking on the statement credited to the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Power that one of the problem in the power sector was low electricity tariff, Wabba said workers will not accept any further increase in tariff.

    He said: “A few days ago, I received a letter from the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission informing us that they want to hold town hall meetings where they want consumers and other stakeholder to contribute. What immediately came to my mind is an attempt again to increase tariff when we have not been able to get out of the one they illegally increased by 45 percent.

    “The twin issue of fuel price increase and electricity tariff has made nonsense of the minimum wage. We have not been able to justify that 45 percent increase, but now, they are coming again. Let me say emphatically that NLC as an organisation and all our affiliates will resist any attempt to increase the electricity tariff again.

    “We have gone to court to challenge their action and the court made pronouncement that the process they followed to effect the last increase was illegal and, therefore, set it aside. Here we are; even to respect that court order has become a problem. We must continue to respect the rule of law. We are still on that issue because no court of law has set aside that judgement.

    “Let us warn those people again because, for them, they must continue to feast on us. If this happens, it means more industries will close and it also means more darkness because the more they increase the tariff, the more darkness we have and more burden on the Nigerian worker. Therefore, we must situate our policies within the context of how it can improve the life of ordinary Nigerian.”

    Speaking on the economic challenge facing the nation, Wabba said: “There is no doubt that our country is passing through very difficult challenges and I think those challenges are to strengthen us, give us hope and make us to think more and be able to respond to issues that affect us. Economies do bubble and burst. Therefore we must not be lamenting that we are in recession or getting out of recession.

    “What matters is how do we put food on the table of the ordinary Nigerian; how do we drive our processes to ensure that industries are working? Once industries don’t work and we don’t produce, but continue to import, the situation will continue because there will always be crave for foreign exchange for us to import and because we don’t export anything, that issue will continue.

    “Our focus must be that our economic model is anchored around the people and around the issues of social justice. Once we don’t do that, then the problem will continue. That is why we have continuously engage the process, including options that are going to work.

    “For instance, the issue of taxation. It is only workers today that pay the correct tax while those that have more than enough, including those with stolen funds, don’t pay tax. Why should you continue to overburden the worker that is already paying the correct tax with more taxation?

    “If I am paying correct tax through pay as you earn, if means that I am paying correct tax and to introduce more tax means double jeopardy. If we are able to access the stamp duty alone, we will be able to generate over two trillion naira per annum. These are issues that we need to address. You cannot continue to rob the poor to make sure that the rich continue to live large.”

    Earlier in his address, NASU National President Comrade Chris Ani said the agitation for restructuring and fiscal federalism were attempts to divert attention from misgovernance and ineptitude the nation has been going through, adding that Nigerians should not be distracted by elements that have actively participated in the looting and mismanagement of our economy and can be found in the two major political parties.

    Ani said what workers needed at this point was time is not whether more power should be given to states, but to know how they have managed the power at their disposal.

    Congratulating the government and its officials for bringing the economy out of recession, Ani said the union will only join the celebration when workers’ “welfare improves; jobs are secured; salaries are paid in full as and when due; wage increase is de-frozen and other withheld benefits are paid”.

     

  • Disregard ULC strike threats, NLC/TUC tell FG, workers

    The organised labour on Friday urged the Federal Government and workers to disregard strike threats by the unregistered United Labour Congress of Nigeria (ULC).

    President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Ayuba Wabba, gave the advice at a news conference jointly addressed in Abuja by the NLC and Trade Union Congress (TUC).

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the ULC had earlier issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government which expired on Sept. 8.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the union issued another seven-day strike notice that will expire on Sept. 15 with a threat to shut down oil, power and aviation sectors.

    The ULC said it was pressing for the following demands – that the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment should set up a task force immediately to carry out factory inspections and review the privatisation of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

    Others are – the Army and Police should leave their different workplaces as they were intimidating and harassing workers in such establishments in addition to immediate release of its registration certificate.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, recently said that Federal Government had not recognised the ULC as a federation of trade unions.

    Wabba said the ministry of labour and workers should disregard the strike threats by the illegal association and that the supervising ministry should act fast in enforcing the laws governing trade unionism in the country.

    He said the main promoters of the so-called new federation are individuals from NUEE and NUPENG both of which were affiliates of the NLC.

    He said that by the extant laws, as passed some years ago, those individuals could not form a parallel federation.

    According to him, the section on Registration of Trade Unions in Part 1, Section 2, is very clear that un-registered trade unions and federation(s) are prohibited from functioning.

    “Under this section, a federation of trade unions shall not come into existence until it is registered.

    “So, we feel constrained to make the following comments on the unfolding situation.

    “In spite of the listing of their 12 points demand, we have no doubt that those behind the ultimatum were only hoping to blackmail the Federal Government and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment to register their association as a central labour organisation.

    “ We have no doubt that the officials of the Ministry of Labour would deal with the situation.

    “This is because the laws of the country governing labour relations are very clear on the procedure guiding registration of trade unions and trade union centres, “he said.

    Mr Bobboi Kaigama, the President of TUC, said that the promoters of ULC were trying to take advantage of the current security situation in the country.

    He said that Nigerians needed to know that the ULC was not a legitimate organisation duly recognised by the laws of the land.

    “These are individuals who find it difficult to accept the will of the Nigerian workers as very clearly demonstrated during the NLC elections in 2015,” he said.

    According to Kaigama, the Ministry of Labour and Employment has acted within the confines of the law by not registering the association.

  • Strikes: Be more proactive to workers’ demand – NLC tells FG, States

    Strikes: Be more proactive to workers’ demand – NLC tells FG, States

    The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, on Thursday urged the Federal, States and Local Governments to be more proactive to workers’ demand to avoid a total breakdown of activities as currently obtained in the health and education sectors.

    In an exclusive phone conversation with TheNewsGuru.com, an executive of the union, who spoke on condition of anonymity said most times government waits till labour enforces the option of strikes before agreeing to honour agreements they willingly entered into with the unions.

    “Governments need to be more proactive to workers’ demands. Workers most times don’t prefer going on strike but that is the only language government understands. People work under poor conditions and still get poorly remunerated. Sometimes they don’t even get remunerated for months and even years. And they hear of same government officials spending billions on insignificant projects. This is why we most times chose to embark on strikes to get what they deserve from them (the government).”

    When he was asked for comments on the proposed strike action by workers under the aegis of United Labour Congress, UCL, the comrade said: “I’m sure they must have engaged the government before deciding to embrace the strike option. It is government’s insensitivity to workers demand that causes strike. I’ll implore the government to meet with them and consider their requests. We can’t afford going on another strike especially in key sectors like power and oil. That will be disastrous. The unions will shelve the strike if governments fulfil its end of the bargain,” he said.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the United Labour Congress, ULC, and its affiliate unions on Tuesday threatened to shut down the oil and power sectors by Friday if the Federal Government does not meet its demands.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that other affiliates of the union that promised to shut down the sectors by Friday include Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, and National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE.

    Others are National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers, NAAPE; National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Employees, NUBIFIE; Nigeria Union of Mine Workers, National Association of Aviation Professionals, Steel and Engineering Workers Union of Nigeria; Iron and Steel Senior Staff Association of Nigeria; Nigeria Union of Railway Workers; Private Telecommunications, Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, Nigeria Union of Shop and Distributive Employees.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that while the National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, called off its three weeks old strike on Thursday (today), the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, is still meeting with the federal government to finalise ending it’s over one-month-old strike that has crippled academic activities across state and federal institutions.

     

     

  • N760.17b Paris Club refund: We’ll expose governors who lavish funds on mundane things – Wabba

    The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has promised to name governors who wasted the first and second tranche of the Paris Club refund released to them by the Federal Government.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that so far the federal government has so far released N760.17 billion to the governors.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that President Muhammadu Buhari recently expressed his displeasure at how the funds was poorly utilized by the governors.

    Angered by the refusal of the governors to clear workers’ backlog of salaries and pension despite the release,the NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba on Tuesday said President Buhari should demand that the governors account for the money earlier received before any further release is made.

    Wabba said it was unfortunate that despite their promises to pay workers’ salaries and pension, the governors refused to live by their word.

    He said that some of the governors had even refused to disclose how much they received and how it was spent.

    Wabba accused the Chairman of the Governors Forum, Zamfara State Governor Abdulazeez Yari, who made a commitment on behalf of his colleagues of not spending the money judiciously.

    He said the President was reacting to its letter asking him not to approve the release of the third and last tranche of the fund to the governors until they account for what they have received.

    Wabba said: “It is our letter he was reacting to. At our CWC meeting, we called on him not to release the last tranche of the Paris Club refund to the states because the governors have not kept their word.

    “You remember that Chairman of the Governors Forum alluded to the fact that they are committed to using the money to address the liability of pension and salaries. Unfortunately, the Chairman of the Governors Forum has not lived up to those words.

    “As you are aware, our workers in Zamfara have shut down the state. He himself who made the pronouncement could not honour the words that he pronounced on behalf of his colleagues. That is to show the level of deceit that is actually in the system and that is why we decided to write to the President to ensure that there is a level of accountability to show that he is actually on the same page with the governors.

    “Before the second tranche was released, they made commitments and used the payment of workers salaries and pensions as a bait to get the President to approve and get the money across to them. But immediately they got the money, majority of them diverted the money. Right now, we have a standard data as to what the situation is in all states of the Federation.

    “Let me make the point that some has actually judiciously untilised their own, but some states… have refused to make available how much they received.”

    Wabba recalled that at the Kogi State House of Assembly, a member raised a motion to demand accountability on the Paris Club refund “and that resulted in the chaos we witnessed in the Assembly. That member had his head broken and the Speaker removed. That is the level of decay that is prevailing in some of those states.

    “It means that Mr President is in touch with the real issues that is happening in every state. The fact that he is aware that some of the governors have not utilised the money in the direction that he appealed to them means that he is aware of what is happening.”

    The NLC chief spoke also on the use of consultants to get the refund.

    He said: “We learnt that about 5 per cent was deducted from source and used for the payment of consultants which eventually ended up in people’s pockets. We are also aware of those who diverted the money to build hotels and pay mortgages. It is really a bad situation.

    “If we must fight corruption, those issues are issues that we must follow up and fight to their logical conclusion.

    “In some of the states, our members used the Freedom of Information Act to demand how these money was utilised, but there has been no responses and I think that is most unfortunate. We have records of those states. We have also promised that we are going to name and shame those states that have not adequately utilized the bailout.

    “We are working on the data and once they are ready, we will make them, available and we are going to engage states that have not transparently utilised the bailout fund for the purpose that it was meant for and for the benefit of their people. That is where we are now… that is why the situation of workers have not improved.

    “ Let me emphasied that some states have done extremely well and we are going to point this out very clearly.”

     

  • Don’t release fresh tranche of Parish Club refund to governors – NLC tells Buhari

    …Says Buhari should probe investments in power sector

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari not to release the third and final tranche of the Paris Club refund to state governors until they account for past releases and make a concrete commitment to the final release to settle outstanding salaries, allowances and pension of workers and retirees in the country.

    The congress is also demanding an immediate and comprehensive audit of all monies so far spent in government effort at reviving the power sector in the country since 1999 which it said has failed to yield result, but rather produce several billionaires as a result of diversion of the funds.

    In a communique made available to newsmen at the end of its Central Working Committee meeting, the Congress is asking the government to immediately inaugurate the National Minimum Wage negotiating committee in view of the impoverishment of workers.

    The communique signed by the NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba and General Secretary, Dr, Peter Ozo-Ezon also wants the federal government to compel state governors to properly account for the bailout they received from the federal government as well as the two tranches of the Paris Club refund which was supposed to be used for the payment of salaries and pensions, but diverted to other uses.

    The Congress regretted that government has not lived up the expectation of Nigerians and are in the habit of reneging on signed agreements with unions, pointing out that the ongoing strike by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities was avoidable.

    The congress said that “many of the discussions around restructuring have not paid adequate attention to the question of health. It resolved to set up a committee to harmonise the various views expressed at the meeting with a view to articulating a congress position on the issue for subsequent presentation to the organised labour.

    “It reviewed the continuous non payment of months of outstanding salaries of workers in some states of the federation as well as various arrears of pension which has also run into several months which is the actual situation despite President Buhari’s passion to address this matter since he assumed office by giving bail out to governors to clear this shameful state of affairs with the nation’s workforce.”

    The Congress also deplored the poor service delivery in the power sector saying, “since the current administration came to power in May 2015, it had given N740 billion to the power sector as intervention fund without much to show for it. CWC therefore cannot comprehend the rationale behind the administration’s preparedness to give a further N39 billion bailout to DISCOs for metering purpose.”

  • Danbaba Suntai: The evolution of a relationship – Owei Lakemfa

    By Owei Lakemfa.
    In April 2012 when I was Acting General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) then Congress President, Abdulwaheed Omar walked into my office to inform that he had just received a call from the Executive Governor of Taraba State, Danbaba Danfulani Suntai that he just landed at the Abuja airport and was heading to the NLC Office.
    It was a shock to us as there was no previous contact. We also did not know what his mission was. The only hint we had was that he had stopped the Taraba State NLC Council elections and I had issued a statement that his action was illegal and will be challenged.
    We deliberated and concluded that it may not be strategic for us that the governor be seen driving in the normal Governor’s convoy with siren blaring into the NLC Office.
    More importantly, it may be better to avoid a direct meeting between him and the NLC President so we can tell him, we have to report back.
    So Omar agreed to call him, first to say he was unavailable, and secondly, that the Congress will send a delegation to meet him at a neutral venue not at the Congress or the Governor’s Lodge in Abuja.
    Suntai replied that since he was already on his way, it may be inappropriate for him to simply drive into a hotel or public place to hold a meeting.
    He persuaded Omar to let the meeting take place in the Lodge.
    So NLC Deputy President, Kiri Mohammed and I met Suntai in Lodge. After the initial courtesies, a curious Kiri noted that His Excellency seemed to be wearing a uniform.
    I interjected to say the governor was a pilot. He glowed. He seemed quite happy to be a pilot. I told him that I even knew when he graduated from the Aviation School in Zaria; that a bucket of water was poured on his head. He seemed quite impressed that I had followed his activities and said, he thought Taraba State was an isolated place that people will not pay much attention.
    We then turned to the matter at hand. He said he had come to make a complaint against the NLC State Council, particularly its then Chairman.
    He claimed that the latter had constituted himself into the leader of opposition in the State, had become a security risk and was turning the NLC into an alternative government to the extent that it counters some of his directives.
    We asked him why he aborted the NLC Council elections. He said it was for security reasons.
    We repeated that his action is illegal and unconstitutional as the constitution gives Nigerians the freedom of association including that to establish trade unions of their choice without interference.
    We also pointed out that he is not a member of the trade unions, so he had no business with the Council elections.
    After some arguments, I told him that following his abortion of the conference, I had spoken with the NLC Chair who claimed that State Government officials had campaigned against him and even decided to transfer him out of the State capital, but when it was clear he was still going to win the elections, armed policemen were sent to abort the conference.
    The Governor insisted that what he did was in the interest of the State. I told him that the NLC was calling a fresh conference in the State, advised him to let it hold, but that if he stopped it, Congress will not only challenge him, but will move the conference to a neigbouring state or Abuja.
    The Governor said he was pro-workers, did not want an altercation with the NLC and promised to allow the new elections hold.
    But he asked for a concession; that the outgoing Chairman be barred from contesting the elections as a victory would undermine his standing or authority in the State.
    We told him it was impossible; that all workers who meet the Congress constitutional requirements have the right to contest and that we had screened all candidates before the State Council elections held nationwide and that the outgoing Chairman was eligible.
    We told him that if workers voted for the Chairman then that meant he was representing them well and that it would be in the interest of his government to work with whoever emerges as the Chairman.
    I then said that the Chairman had revealed to me that he and His Excellency were very close friends before he became governor.
    Suntai confirmed but said the Chairman was an ingrate. He said he had offered the Chairman a seat in his cabinet, but that he had turned it down saying he preferred to remain the NLC Chairman, and that the latter had proposed his brother to take his place.
    He said in appreciation of his campaigns for him to be governor, he had appointed the Chairman’s brother as the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and also agreed to give the NLC a choice land and build a secretariat for the State NLC but that the Chairman later turned against him.
    I told Suntai I was impressed by the conduct of the Congress Chairman who rejected an appointment many lobby for and who despite his closeness to the governor remained upright leading the State workers.
    Suntai kept to his words; the State NLC elections held, the outgoing Chairman was re-elected and both men worked together as best as they could. He also retained the Chairman’s brother in his cabinet.
    Suntai and I hit it off; he called me regularly when he came to Abuja. One day he proposed that I be his guest in the State. I politely declined and explaining that as NLC Scribe, I will be unable to explain convincingly, my presence in his aircraft piloted by him, and in any case, what explanation will I give Taraba Sate workers; that the Governor is my friend and that I was on a private visit? Sometimes when we met, he raised non-labour matters.
    You can imagine my shock and sadness when news filtered on October 25, 2012 that Suntai’s aircraft, with him behind the controls, had crashed at the Yola international Airport. He survived with brain injuries, hearing and speech impairment.
    For five years he battled courageously against his injuries, at a time he even returned to office. I never met him again.
    On June 28, 2017, news came that he finally succumbed to his injuries; it was two days short of his 56thbirthday.
    He was a gentleman who made governance seem easy. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace and may God console his family and loyalists who stood by him at all times. Ameen.