TheNewsGuru

Tag: NLC

  • BREAKING! Shut down Nigeria if Ajaero is detained, NLC directs all workers nationwide

    BREAKING! Shut down Nigeria if Ajaero is detained, NLC directs all workers nationwide

    The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has directed its affiliates members and all workers in the country to immediately shutdown the economy if the Nigerian Police arrest the Congress President, Comrade Joe Ajaero.

    Recall that the Police had last night invited the NLC President to its headquarters for questioning over the allegation of involvement in terrorism financing among others.

    The development led to the convocation of emergency National Executive Council, NEC, meeting at the Labour House where the Congress resolved to write to the Police for extension of time to enable it consult with its lawyers.

    Briefing the workers, who had assembled at the Labour House in solidarity with the Congress President and to follow him to the Police headquarters, the NLC Deputy President, Kabiru Ado Sani, said that the invitation to Ajaero was invitation to workers.

    According to him, at the end of the meeting, we reached some certain resolutions. Part of the resolutions is that, as a committed labour center that we agreed or that we abide by the rule of law and due process.

    “We will honor the invitation of the Nigerian police, because we are not faceless organization, but we believe that we need an extension of time, after consultation with our lawyers, because this invitation was extended to the Congress President yesterday and asked to report at the police by 10am today.

    So we are already working with our lawyers to look for extension of time, but this does not legitimize the charges by the Nigerian police to the Congress leadership, and secondly, we resolve that in an event our Congress President was arrested or detained at any moment, we put our affiliate on red alert to mobilize our membership across the country, that all workers in this country should down tool their services.

    “This is the resolution because Comrades, this organization belongs to all of us, therefore we should do everything possible to safeguard the safety of this organization. We therefore, thank you very much, and you shoulwait for further directives by our leadership.

    “Whatever happens, we will communicate your leadership, and your leadership will communicate you. So we urge you to remain calm and go back peacefully to our working place and await further directives.

  • Terrorism financing allegation: NLC holds emergency meeting

    Terrorism financing allegation: NLC holds emergency meeting

    Some leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) including the President of Congress, Joe Ajaero are already converging at the NLC headquarters for an emergency National Executive Council meeting.

    The meeting comes following the summoning of Ajaero by the Nigerian Police Force for investigation over allegations of terrorism financing, treasonable felony and cybercrime.

    The summon had ordered the NLC president to present himself for questioning by 10:00 am today.

    NPF invitation was contained in a letter dated 19th August 2024 and signed by ACP Adamu Muazu on behalf of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Intelligence Response Team.

    The police also warned that a warrant of arrest would be issued if Ajaero failed to comply.

     

     

  • Real reason why we are inviting NLC President – Police

    Real reason why we are inviting NLC President – Police

    The Police has invited Joe Ajaero, President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for interrogation on charges related to alleged “criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion and cyber crime”.

    Mr Benson Upah, NLC Head of Information and Public Affairs, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen on Monday in Abuja.

    Upah said Ajaero was summoned via a letter dated August 19 and signed by ACP Adamu Mu’azu on behalf of Commissioner of Police, Intelligence.

    The letter, according to Upah, stated that Ajaero’s name was mentioned in an on-going investigations connected to the alleged criminal offences.

    “Accordingly, the letter directed Ajaero to report at the IRT Complex, Abbattoir  by Guzape Junction on Tuesday, August 20 at 10:00 threatening that a warrant of arrest would be issued against him if he failed to report,” he said.

    Upah said a personal message was also sent to Ajaero by one SP Moshood stating: “We were at the Labour House to submit this (letter of invitation), but the place was locked sir”.

    Upah said NLC found the development curious because there were workers in the office till 6p.m. and Ajaero was not addressed by his official title of President of the Nigeria Labour Congress.

    “Clearly, the last has not been heard about the raid on the headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress.

    “Preceding the raid, Congress had advised government to dialogue with the organisers of the protest even as Congress had  clearly stated it was not part of the protest.

    “Congress criticised the police for the high casualty rate during the protest,” he said.

    Upah added: “Congress in its NEC  communique after the raid expressed outrage at the behaviour of the police and demanded for an apology from both the police and government.

    “At its world press conference last Thursday, Congress had raised an alarm that should anything happen. to the leadership of the Congress  or any of its members, the police should be held accountable.

    “The question on the lips of those in the know is,  who wants Joe Ajaero out of circulation”.

  • Gov Fintiri approves payment of new minimum wage

    Gov Fintiri approves payment of new minimum wage

    Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State has approved the payment of N70,000 National Minimum Wage to workers in the state and local governments’ payrolls.

    Emmanuel Fashe, State Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) disclosed this to newsmen shortly after a closed-door meeting with  Fintiri on Monday in Yola.

    According to him, state government workers will start receiving the new minimum wage from August, while those of the local governments  will commence from September.

    “The template to be used is the consequential adjustment table that was used in 2019, pending the release of the table from the National Salaries, Wages and Income Commission.

    “Whatever the worker was getting as the present national minimum wage of N32,000 as it applies to Adamawa, that same will be applied in terms of percentages in implementation of the new minimum wage,”he said.

    Fashe assured the state and local governments staffers of the governor’s determination to prioritise their welfare.

    He said, ”Hence, the implementation of the new minimum wage even before the release of the table from the national salaries, wages and income commission”.

  • Wage award not part of N70,000 minimum wage – NLC Lagos

    Wage award not part of N70,000 minimum wage – NLC Lagos

    The Lagos State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has explained that the N35,000 wage award in the state should not be taken as part of or in lieu of the N70,000 new minimum wage recently passed into law.

    NLC Lagos State Chairman Funmi Sessi explained this in Lagos on Friday.

    The congress expressed concern about a statement from a certain commission that the state was already paying more than N70,000 prescribed minimum wage to its employees.

    It called for a new wage structure starting from the approved N70,000 to be worked out to reflect various cadre and salary grade levels of all categories of workers in the state’s public service as it reflected in all the allowances.

    The congress, therefore, called on Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the state to constitute a wage committee to look into the immediate implementation of the N70,000 to all categories of public servants in the state.

    “NLC commends the state Governor Sanwo-Olu for his commitment to the welfare of workers as evident in the state being the first to implement the N35,000 wage award palliative to public servants in the nation.

    “Alluding to the N35,000 palliative wage award as part of the calculated earned income in the state is not the true situation since the wage award does not reflect on the allowances,” it said.

    The congress also implored employers of labour in the private sector to adhere to the provisions of the law guiding the approved new minimum wage in the country.

    According to them, the welfare of the workers, who are the lifeline of any business, should be prioritised.

    “Government agencies that are saddled with the responsibility to ensure compliance should be proactive and ensure fearless to all concerned,” the congress noted.

  • NLC alleges interference in tenure of union leaders

    NLC alleges interference in tenure of union leaders

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Federal Government not to take steps at interfering in the tenure of union leaders in the country.

    Mr Benson Upah, NLC Head of Information made the call while addressing newsmen on Thursday in Abuja.

    Upah alleged that the government wanted to impose a two-year tenure on labour leaders.

    He said such action would amount to meddling in the internal running of trade unions and a gross violation of the corpus of Labour Law and International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conventions.

    “The federal government should put an end to the ongoing alleged hybrid war against Congress.

    “However, if government feels that two years is the best tenure to go, it should be two years for everyone including ,office of the President and principal public officers as well,”‘ he said.

    He also appealed to the government to stop meddling in the affairs of Labour Party and as well, end destabilisation campaign against opposition parties.

    Upah said the Police must tender unreserved apology to NLC for the invasion of its headquarters. or risk an industrial action or other options open to Congress to express its dissatisfaction.

    He added that the explanations by the police for the invasion have consistently failed to add up, including the purported legal documents from a court of jurisdiction permitting the raid.

    “Beside government’s silence on our patriotic and well thought-out demands, the police have since come out to make further comments on the raid, instead of an apology.

    “A statement signed by ACP Olumumuyiwa Adejobi claimed that the raid had no connection with the NLC secretariat, workers, or leadership, but a prime criminal suspect in an on-going investigation traced to a shop within the building which they claimed was on the 2nd floor.

    “We find the claims contradictory, self-serving and face-saving and intended to cover up their blunders.

    “What were the security personnel doing on the 10th floor when the shop they were after was on the 2nd floor?

    “If the police truly had credible intelligence and if Congress was not their target, what was wrong in taking the leadership of Congress into confidence.

    “if they felt that would jeopardise the operation, couldn’t they have confided in the leadership,”he said.

    He, therefore called on the federal government and the police not to rope Congress into what it knew nothing about.

    Also on the protest, Upah urged the federal government to desist from playing on the intelligence of Nigerians by attempting to divert their attention from the real issues of bad governance and hunger, that still stare the people in the face

    He reiterated that it was economic policies of the government that have continued to unleash hardship on the people.

    Upah said the Congress called on the government to release those in its custody in relation to the protest,  including a member of the Nigeria Union Electricity Employee (NUEE)’s executive, Mr Opalua Eleojo who was arrested at a social spot in Abuja.

    “We are entitled to safety and protection. The arrest is not good PR for this country. People are laughing at us,” he said.

  • Minimum Wage: NLC, PASAN bicker over payment mode

    Minimum Wage: NLC, PASAN bicker over payment mode

    The Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), Nasarawa State Chapter, and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state have differing views on the payment of the new national minimum wage of N70,000 by the state government.

     

    PASAN Chairman, Mr. Suleiman Oshafu, expressed the union’s stance following an emergency meeting in Lafia. The union prefers the new national minimum wage to be paid to all state workers before addressing the promotion arrears owed to certain civil servants. Oshafu emphasized that the minimum wage would benefit all state workers, whereas the promotion arrears would only affect specific individuals.

     

    The meeting’s purpose was to update members on the outcome of the NLC/TUC meeting with Governor Abdullahi Sule on August 12 regarding the national minimum wage payment. Governor Sule had agreed to pay the N70,000 minimum wage to civil servants as approved by President Bola Tinubu. However, the NLC preferred that the backlog of promotion arrears be paid first, a stance the governor accepted.

     

    Oshafu clarified that while PASAN is not opposed to paying the promotion arrears, they believe the new minimum wage should take priority. He thanked members for their input and promised to relay their resolutions to the NLC and state government.

     

    He also urged members to remain united and peaceful for the association’s progress and appreciated the state House of Assembly Speaker, Mr. Danladi Jatau, for his support of workers. Oshafu also thanked the state governor for his commitment to the welfare of assembly staff.

  • We will not be intimidated – NLC tells  FG

    We will not be intimidated – NLC tells  FG

    Following the invasion of its headquarters and allege threads, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said the labour union will not be intimidated by the federal government.

    NLC President, Joe Ajaero said the invasion of its headquarters, the letter of threat from the Registrar of Trade unions and the Arrest of National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), executive, Opalua Eleojo, were acts by the federal government to intimidate the organized labour.

    Ajaero also accused the federal government of insincerity in its activities and promises to Nigerians. The organized labour regretted that the government fooled citizens into believing they would buy a 50kg bag of rice at ₦40,000.

    NLC President said this on Thursday, in a press conference in Abuja. “For instance, in the days preceding the End-Hunger protests, the Registrar of Trade Unions acting on orders from above wrote a letter of threat on our relationship with Labour Party, citing Section 15 (ss) 2, 3, 4 of the Trade Unions Act.

    “In their bid to suppress our voice, they forgot the provisions of Sections 39 – to 40 of the 1999 constitution (as amended), the Supreme Court decision on the right of public servants to hold political views.

    “The government is also frantically working to reduce to two the number of years trade unionists could hold office. This constitutes a gross interference in the internal running of the trade unions in violation of the corpus of Labour Law and ILO Conventions,” he said.

    The organized labour explained that the statement by Nigeria Police Public Relations Officer, Olamuyiwa Adejobi that the raid of NLC’s headquarters had nothing to do with the labour union was false.

    NLC said no intentional terrorist hid in the union’s headquarters. “If the police truly had credible intelligence and if Congress was not their target, what was wrong in taking the leadership of Congress into confidence. And if they felt that would jeopardise the operation, couldn’t they have confided in the leadership at H-hour?

    “The police and government should stop playing on our intellect. They should also stop diverting attention from the real issues that still stare us in the face, economic policies that continue to unleash hardship on the people.

    “The insincerity of government is so manifest. They claimed they were selling bags of rice at 40k and had to stop when the rice was being resold at ₦80,000. Up till this moment no one has been able to tell us where rice was sold at ₦40,000.

    “We advise the government to stop further acts of intimidation against the Nigeria Labour Congress and indeed against the generality of Nigerians,” he added.

     

  • Police clarifies raid at NLC secretariat

    Police clarifies raid at NLC secretariat

    The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has clarified that its raid at the National Secretariat of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) was not targeted at the labour union.

    The NPF, however, disclosed that the raid was to fish out a prime suspect – a foreign national implicated in numerous criminal activities across Nigeria and other African countries.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the NPF made this known in a statement on behalf of the Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun on Friday by ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Force Public Relations Officer.

    The police, meanwhile, did not disclosed the identity of the foreign national implicated in numerous criminal activities, but stated that the prime criminal suspect in an ongoing investigation was traced to a shop within the building.

    Recall that the NLC’s Head of Media and Public Relations on August 7, 2024 had alleged that officers of the Nigeria Police Force, along with some individuals in black T-shirts and others in plain clothes, raided the Labour House in Abuja.

    The police noted that detectives, armed with the appropriate legal authority, conducted the operation at the location, “which turned out to be the NLC building”.

    The police in the statement stressed that operation was solely aimed at apprehending the prime suspect.

    The statement reads in full below: “The Nigeria Police Force has noted a publication alleging that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) National Secretariat, known as the Labour House, located in the Central Business District, Abuja, was raided by the Police.

    “On August 7, 2024, a press release issued by the NLC’s Head of Media and Public Relations alleged that officers of the Nigeria Police Force, along with some individuals in black T-shirts and others in plain clothes, raided the Labour House.

    “The Nigeria Police Force wishes to clarify that a prime criminal suspect in an ongoing investigation was traced to a shop within the building in the Central Business District, Abuja. Detectives, armed with the appropriate legal authority, conducted an operation at the location, which turned out to be the NLC building.

    “This well-coordinated, lawful operation was solely aimed at apprehending the prime suspect—a foreign national implicated in numerous criminal activities across Nigeria and other African countries.

    “We emphasize that this operation had no connection with the NLC, its Secretariat, staff, or leadership. The NLC Secretariat was not the focus of the operation, which was targeted at a rented shop within the building used by the suspect as a front for his criminal activities in Nigeria.

    “The Nigeria Police Force seeks the cooperation and support of the NLC leadership as we continue this investigation, which is vital to safeguarding our nation.

    “The high-profile nature of the suspect poses a significant security threat to Nigeria and other African nations, making this investigation crucial for the safety of all involved, including the NLC.

    “The Nigeria Police Force remains committed to upholding the rule of law, maintaining professionalism, and respecting human rights in the discharge of our statutory duties.

    “We also urge Nigerians to remain vigilant and to conduct security profiling of individuals seeking to rent space within their premises”.

  • Hold accountable those responsible for invading NLC Hq – TUC urges FG

    Hold accountable those responsible for invading NLC Hq – TUC urges FG

    The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has urged the Federal Government to hold accountable those responsible for authorising and executing the invasion of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) headquarters in Abuja.

    Mr Festus Osifo, TUC President, said this in a statement Abuja.

    Osifo described the invasion as a grave violation of fundamental rights, particularly the freedoms of speech and expression.

    He called for an immediate and thorough investigation into the incident.

    According to him, the invasion represents an overreach by security forces and poses a direct threat to the rights of Nigerian citizens.

    “We must ensure that our rights are protected and that security agencies operate within the legal boundaries set by our Constitution,”he said.

    Osifo called for the prompt return of all confiscated materials and an official explanation for what he termed as an unjustified action.

    The NLC confirmed that its national office in Abuja was invaded by security operatives.

    According to a statement by NLC spokesperson Benson Upah, late on Wednesday, the operatives arrested the security guards, forcing them to hand over keys to the offices on the second floor.