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Tag: workers

  • Fayose’s govt left N57bn unpaid workers’ salaries, pension arrears, says Fayemi

    Fayose’s govt left N57bn unpaid workers’ salaries, pension arrears, says Fayemi

    Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti on Tuesday said that the workers in the state civil service were currently being owed N57billion as arrears of unpaid salaries and emoluments.

     

    The governor said this at a meeting he had with the civil servants as well as a cross-section of labour leaders at the Government House, Ado Ekiti.

     

    He said that his administration was making frantic efforts to defray the backlogs which he said would be done in phases.

     

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Fayemi claimed the trend was caused by irregular payments of salaries and pensions by the immediate past administration of Mr Ayodele Fayose.

     

    He said the arrears covered outstanding salaries, pensions, promotion arrears, leave bonuses and other emoluments from 2014 till October 2018 when he assumed office.

     

    The governor also said he was not part of the people that were opposed to local government autonomy.

     

    He said the local governments in the state were currently being given unfettered access to administer their own funds without interference from his government.

     

    He said he would honour his earlier pledge to pay all the outstanding workers’ benefits.

     

    He clarified that some would be given immediate attention, while some would be defrayed by instalmental.

     

    He said, “It is sad to reel out such a homongous figure, because it can create panic for you and I.

     

    ” But let me say that we cannot pay everything in one fell swoop, but the 2019 promotion arrears will be given immediate attention while others will be defrayed by installment.

     

    ” It becomes difficult to pay once because Ekiti gets a little above N5billion monthly, with the state getting like N3billion, while the local governments receive little above N2billion monthly “, he said.

     

    On the issue of local government autonomy, Fayemi said he was never opposed to the idea of giving financial independence to the third tier of government, being the closest to the grassroots.

     

    “I am not opposed to it. Since I came back as governor, not even one naira of the local government money was being administered by me.

     

    ” I have allowed the councils to manage whatever comes to them.”

     

    Fayemi said that the state under him was considering alternative power supply option to shore up the one being supplied to the state from national grid.

     

    He said he was planning the alternative because the current supply was grossly inadequate and crippling economic activities in the state.

     

    He also said that he had earmarked some funds for the Ministry of Environment to undertake erosion and flood control projects in some towns.

     

    Fayemi said that this was because of the recent flooding that ravaged Ado Ekiti and other towns, of which many civil servants were major victims.

     

    He also said that he would discuss the acute shortage of manpower in the health sector with the Health Management Board (HMB) when it was raised by the labour leaders.

     

    He said that he would ascertain the actual statistics and how to fill the missing gaps in the health sector.

     

    The Chairman of the Public Service Joint Negotiating Council, Kayode Fatomiluyi, had called the attention of the governor to the chronic shortage of manpower in the health sector.

     

    Fatomiluyi said, “Over 1,000 nurses were at HMB in 2014 during your first term, Your Excellency Sir.

     

    “But today, we have less than 500 to manage 22 health facilities across the state.

     

    “The Governor must do something about this,” he said.

     

    Some of the other labour union leaders in the state that attended the meeting include: Kolapo Olatunde of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Sola Adigun of the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

     

    They also pleaded that issues that had to do with the benefits of workers must be given utmost priority.

     

    They urged the governor to use his connection as the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to fast track the implementation of the new minimum wage for workers.

  • Minimum wage: Workers threaten strike as negotiation talk with FG suffers fresh setback

    Minimum wage: Workers threaten strike as negotiation talk with FG suffers fresh setback

    Workers, under the aegis of the Joint Public Sector Negotiating Council (JPSNC), are threatening to go on strike as a meeting of the Federal Government and the unions ended yesterday in a deadlock.

    The negotiations on the consequential adjustment, which was earlier adjourned till September 4 to allow the government’s team brief President Muhammadu Buhari, was rescheduled for September 16.

    But it suffered another setback as both parties failed to reach an agreement, despite minor adjustments in their separate positions.

    At yesterday’s meeting, which was chaired by the Head of Service of the Federation (HOSF), Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, both government and the union leaders only made minor adjustments to their earlier positions.

    The government moved from its earlier position of 9.5 per cent to 11 per cent for Grade Levels Seven to 14 and 6.5 per cent from 5.5 per cent for Levels 15 to 17.

    The workers insisted that the government adjust salaries of workers on Grade Levels Seven to 14 by 30 per cent and those on Levels 15 to 17 by 25 per cent.

    Chairman of Labour’s team and National Auditor of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Simon Anchaver said workers stepped down to 29 per cent, from 30 per cent, for Grade Levels Seven to 14 and down to 24 from 25 per cent for Levels 15 to 17

    According to him, the negotiating council resolved to write to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) on their advice about a possible industrial action.

    Also, Secretary of the negotiating council, Slade Lawal said organised labour would decide on the next line of action on the minimum wage.

    The labour leader said in due time, Nigerians would be informed.

    Lawal said: “The meeting is deadlocked. We found out that the Federal Government officials are not serious about it at all. We are suspecting foul play or a hidden agenda somewhere. So, we have decided to report the development to our principals, including the labour unions. Nigerians will be adequately briefed about our next line of action very shortly.”

    Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, recently told reporters that President Muhammadu Buhari had directed that the process of negotiations be concluded as soon as possible to enable workers begin to enjoy the new wages.

  • UN already lost 72 workers in 2019 – Guterres

    The United Nations has lost 72 personnel so far this year, its Secretary General, Antonio Guterres said in New York on Friday.

    Guterres said this at a wreath laying ceremony and memorial service to mark the opening of the UN Staff Day celebrations at the organisation’s headquarters.

    The ceremony was held in honor of civilian staff members, police and military personnel who have fallen in service to the UN across the world.

    The UN Chief gave breakdown of the death figure as 25 civilian staff members, 43 peacekeepers and four UN police officers.

    According to Guterres, the UN staff work in the most dangerous and challenging environment around the world, and it was the duty of all to remember and commemorate the fallen colleagues.

    He expressed his sympathy to their families, friends and loved ones “who feel their loss so keenly”.

    Guterres said: “Let us remember the sacrifice made by our fallen colleagues in working to make the world safer and more dignified for those less fortunate than themselves.

    “UN staff are working on the frontlines of the most pressing challenges, addressing key humanitarian needs, keeping the peace, defending human rights, feeding the hungry and helping to build resilience to climate change.”

    Earlier in her remarks, President of the UN Staff Union, Ms Patricia Nemeth, saluted the commitment, dedication and sacrifice of the organisation’s personnel.

    Nemeth said the world had witnessed the “remarkable reach of our civilian, police and military colleagues deployed under the UN flag”.

    “They have delivered time after time in unprecedented circumstances by demonstrating valour in times of crisis.

    “Our civilian, police and military personnel, and their families, deserve everlasting gratitude and support from the UN family,” she said.

  • Multichoice set to sack over 2000 workers

    Naspers’ pay-television business MultiChoice Group, owners of DSTV is planning to lay off close to 2,200 workers in a shake-up of its customer care service, the company said on Friday.

    The axing will affect workers in South Africa.

    MultiChoice, which competes with Netflix in online streaming via Showmax, said in a statement it is launching a consultation process to cut 2,194 positions in MultiChoice South Africa’s customer care call centres and walk-in centres.

    “This has not been an easy decision to make but, in a business driven by advancing technologies, we must continue to drive efficiencies yet be agile enough to adapt to evolving customer needs,” MultiChoice Group Chief Executive Calvo Mawela said.

    “We must act decisively to align to the change in customer behaviour and competition from over-the-top services,” he added, referring to video services that stream directly over the internet.

    “If we don’t reposition now, we run the risk of being completely misaligned and we put everyone’s jobs at risk.”

    Under the Labour Relations Act, the consultation process will take 60 days.

    Over the past three years, MultiChoice has seen a steady decline in the number of customer telephone calls and e-mails into its call centres and walk-ins to its customer service centres, the company said.

    In contrast, self-service digital channels have continued to grow, now accounting for 70 percent of all its customer service contacts.

    “The company is also in an environment where it will rely more on technology than people,” it said.

    Job cuts are politically sensitive in South Africa, where the unemployment rate is more than 27 percent.

    In his state of the nation address on Thursday, President Cyril Ramaphosa called the unemployment rate among the youth a “national crisis” that demands urgent, innovative and coordinated solutions.

    MultiChoice said it will make new roles available for multi-skilled workers with the “expertise, skills and technological prowess to enhance the customer experience”.

    As part of a support program agreed with unions and other employee representatives, the firm will offer voluntary severance packages, wellness support and financial planning, it said.

    It will also continue paying for the current studies of MultiChoice bursary-funded employees, and some other benefits.

    However the Information Communication and Technology Union (ICTU) said in a statement it had not been officially informed of the action, “which makes the process unlawful”.

    “The employer has timed Friday to make announcement, which shows some cowardice tendencies of not dealing with the consequences of their actions,” it said, adding that it will seek an urgent engagement with MultiChoice.

    Shares in the company closed nearly 2% stronger at 134 rand prior to the announcement.

  • Bello pays December, January salaries to Kogi workers

    Bello pays December, January salaries to Kogi workers

    The organised labour has commended the Kogi State government for the payment of December 2018 and January 2019 salaries and pensions to its workers and pensioners.

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) gave the comendation in a statement issued in Lokoja on Sunday.

    The statement, signed by the state Chairman of the NLC, Mr Onu Edoka and his TUC counterpart, Mr Ranti Ojo,
    described the payment of the two month salaries and pensions as a huge relief.

    ” The payment of the two months salary arrears to workers and pensions would go a long way to reduce the suffering of the workers and pensioners,” the statement said.

    The labour leaders applauded government for keeping to its promise to defray the outstanding salary and pensions being owed workers and retirees.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that with the payment of the two months salaries, the workers are now being owed between six and 37 months salary arrears.

    ” We appeal to the state government to sustain the current tempo of payment to enable it settle all outstanding salary arrears in due course,” Edoka and Ojo said in the statement.

    They, however, called for an improvement in the percentage of salary being paid to teachers and local government workers.

    ” Any percentage short of what was agreed with Labour will not be acceptable,” the statement added.

    The organised labour pledged its unequivocal loyalty to the government, but stressed that its main concern remained the welfare and well- being of workers and pensioners.

    Both the state chapters of the NLC and the TUC also congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on his successful inauguration for a second term in office.

    They also appealed to the Federal Government to expedite action on the release of the N30.8billion balance of the bailout fund to the state government.

    ” Its quick release will enable the state government to meet its obligations to workers and pensioners in the State,” they said.

    The unions directed workers to continue to be law abiding and to support government policies and programmes to the fullest.

  • FG says 2.78m workers die from occupation accidents

    The Federal Government says 2.78 million workers die from occupational accidents and work-related diseases annually, while additional 374 million suffer from non-fatal occupational accidents globally each year.

    Sen. Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment stated this while commemorating the 2019 World Day for Safety and Health at Work on Tuesday in Abuja.

    The World Day for Safety and Health at work is celebrated globally on April 28 with the 2019 theme as adopted by Nigeria as “Safety and Health and the Future of Work’’.

    Ngige said these statistics are alarming and the economic cost was enormous, unquantifiable and tragic.

    “This is considering that such immeasurable human suffering and catastrophes caused by poor occupational safety and health practices and conditions are largely preventable,‘’ he said.

    Ngige, represented by Mr William Alo, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, said government has taken measures toward promoting safe and healthy future of workers.

    “You can attest to the fact that technological advancement including digital technologies, artificial intelligence, robotics nanotechnology, and increasing automation is becoming more common in the workplace and machines are now attempting to take over the role of humans.

    “In a renewed effort at addressing changing patterns and emerging risks in workplaces, the government has embarked on measures in ensuring safe, healthy and decent work for all.

    “Government has also embarked on measures to promote a culture of prevention through various workplace interventions that include the vigorous enforcement of extant labour laws through conduct and factory inspections of workplaces, nationwide.

    “In addition, employment patterns and structures are shifting with the introduction of new forms of employment such as outsourcing, contract staffing, and a host of other non-standard forms of employment.

    “All of these now present various threats and challenges to the safety and well-being of workers which must be addressed by the future of work,‘’ he said.

    He, however, said the ministry had encouraged effort of stakeholders toward effectively rising to the transformation challenges and opportunities posed by rapidly advancing technologies which revolutionised occupational safety and health concerns.

    He added that the evolving world of work today and in the future, undoubtedly called for innovative investments in labour as a major factor of production, through continual learning and skill development.

    Ngige said Nigeria, as a member of the International labour Organization (ILO), had joined the annual awareness-raising campaign since 2004.

    This he said had focused on the magnitude of work-related accidents, injuries, diseases and deaths and contemporary remedial approach through a preventive safety and health culture at work.

    He assured that the ministry would continue to develop and subsequently, review policies, legislative and regulatory framework that were critical to achieving sustainable improvement in safety and health standards in the workplace.

    Mr Denis Zulu, ILO Country Director to Nigeria, noted that Nigeria has been consistent in commemorating the World Day for Occupational Safety.

    “It is an important day for us in the ILO, because we are commemorating 100 years of the ILO and it gives an opportunity to see how much progress has been made in safety and health.

    “I must admit over the past few years, we have made tremendous progress around policies and we have also made progress towards having an updated law that reflects the changing environment in the world of work.

    “We are delighted that the government is taking this issue very seriously but also the presence of the private sector, trade unions is particularly important.

    “This is because health and safety in the workplace is not just the responsibility of the government but also the employers and the workers who are actually around the workplace,‘’ he said.

    Dr Ifeoma Anyawutaku, Director, Occupational Safety and Health Department in the ministry, said that it was the ministry’s mandate to ensure safety and well being of Nigerian workers in their workplace.

    “It is our mandate that nobody goes to work to meet his death or get harm or sustain injuries in the course of doing his or her job.

    “So, the Federal Government under the Ministry of Labour and Employment is doing so much particularly in enforcing standard, laws and regulations by guaranteeing the safety, health and well being of every Nigerian worker in their various workplaces.

    “In addition to enforcement, we are involved in promotional activities and rising awareness to ensure that every worker knows those hazards they are exposed to and to also ensure that every worker knows what steps to be taken,‘’ he said.

  • Owing 38 months workers salary: I know I’ve goofed – Gov. Bello

    Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello for the first time publicly admitted that his administration has committed blunder by owing workers between eight and 38 months due to the over two years staff screening exercise he initiated.

    Governor Bello who spoke through his Chief of Staff, Edward Onoja at the 7th NLC quadrennial congress on Thursday in Lokoja said “when a child made mistakes he should admit he made mistakes, we have made mistakes and we are correcting it”

    Onoja who was unusually sober at the ceremony was reacting to NLC chairman’s speech , Comrade Onuh Edoka who said workers were dying in dozens due to the non payment of salaries as the government was owing them between eight and 38 months.

    Edoka had said workers in the state have been reduced to beggars as they could not meet their domestic responsibilities while their children are driven out of school due to non payment of school fees while the condition of pensioners and local government workers some of who he said are being paid “miserable percentages of their salaries” are most precarious.

    Responding, Onoja who said the prolonged staff screening exercise was inevitable as it has brought some kind of sanity to the civil service system in the state, however said government was looking into where it has goofed with a view to correcting it.

    On the percentage payment of local government workers, Onoja said this phenomenon has been existing before the advent of the current administration, a claim which the workers at the occasion responded to by shouting “ no, no ,no, you are lying”

    Beating a retreat, Onoja appealed to the workers to exercise patience with the government as efforts would now be geared towards paying their salaries as and when due pleading with the workers to support the re election bid of Governor Yahaya Bello.

    He however said if by November this year, Governor Bello was not re elected the incoming government will build on the legacy they would leave behind

  • No plans to sell NNPC, refineries, FG assures Nigerian workers

    No plans to sell NNPC, refineries, FG assures Nigerian workers

    …As labour calls for reversal of power sector privatisation

    The Federal Government has assured the workers that it has no plan to sell any of the nation’s refineries and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

    Anybody who has such plan, it said, did not have the workers’ interest at heart.

    President Muhammadu Buhari stated these yesterday at the NLC 12th Quadrennial National Delegates Conference in Abuja .

    The President, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, said government was determined to attain the decent work agenda, which involves opportunity for works that are productive, deliver a fair income, security for workplaces and social protection for families.

    “I want to reassure you of the commitment of this administration to the issue of welfare of workers. This is evidence of numerous programmes and policies that have been initiated by this administration in promoting the interest of the well-being of our workforce.

    “The administration is committed to addressing other labour issues that are still pending,” Mustapha said.

    But, NLC has called for reversal of power sector privatisation due to what it called chronic failures by the distribution companies (DISCOS) to deliver quality power supply to Nigerians.

    Its National President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said: “Since the privatisation of electricity distribution, Nigerians are yet to see the fulfilment of promises of efficient service delivery.

    “Instead, the electricity situation has gone worse with chronic failures by DISCOs to supply prepaid meters, exploitation of Nigerians through estimated billings and reluctance to attend to basic complaints.

    “Even with N39 billion bailout funds from government, the supposed private entrepreneurs have failed to turn anything around, except maybe their pockets, unfortunately, at the expense of Nigerians. This must stop.

    “We call on government to reverse the power sector privatisation because it has failed. Privatisation of public utilities has not generally proven to be the correct thing to do in most countries, even developed ones, according to a study released by Public Services International.

    Quoting author of “Why Public Private Partnerships don’t work; the many advantages of public alternative, David Hall, Wabba said privatising public utilities had been a wreck in most countries.

    He mentioned Spain, France, India, South Korea, United Kingdom (UK), Australia among others showed “how public/state guarantees and loans to private sector for the utilities sector have resulted in failures on delivery of services as well as repayment in most cases”.

    He, however, urged the Federal Government to resuscitate Nigeria’s ailing refineries to liberate the downstream sector.

    According to him, “the crisis of industrialisation and manufacturing in Nigeria is best exemplified by the chaos in the downstream petroleum industry, where we have been unable to manage our vast natural carbon resources for national growth and prosperity of our people.

    “Our four national refineries are almost under lock and key as we depend on the importation of refined petroleum products for our energy needs. Promises by successive government to resuscitate our refineries have become a mirage.

    “To rub salt to injury, our public officials have now found a new hobby – taking ‘selfies’ in an ongoing private refinery project being constructed by the Dangote Group. This is truly sad for Africa’s largest producer of crude oil and the sixth largest in the world.

    “We will continue to push for the resuscitation of our four refineries and for the construction of additional public refineries. This will bring to an end the fraud associated with subsidy payment.

    “The only sustainable solution to our energy crises lies in prioritising the development of the value chain in our downstream petroleum sector. This is a major step towards jump-starting our economy and unlocking trapped jobs. Our country would also be saving trillions of naira we currently spend on importing refined and poorly regulated petroleum products from overseas.”

     

  • Minimum Wage: Nigerian workers protest, decry poor living conditions [Photos]

    Minimum Wage: Nigerian workers protest, decry poor living conditions [Photos]

    The Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC ) has embarked on a nationwide protest today ahead of the commencement of an indefinite strike.

    The protest rally was to create awareness on the new Minimum Wage for workers and to press home its demand for an executive draft bill on the N30,000 minimum wage to be transmitted by the presidency to the National Assembly.

    President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Comrade Ayuba Wabba on Tuesday lamented that Nigerian workers can no longer afford a decent meal or take care of the need of their families as a result of poor purchasing power.

    Wabba who spoke while addressing workers on the first day of the nationwide sensitization and mobilization rallies in Abuja said government must take the welfare and well-being of workers seriously and treat it as top priority as they are the ones that create the wealth of the nation.

    Wabba frown at those referring to workers as tiny minority, saying if there is a group that is a tiny minority, it is the political leaders that are receiving homongous salaries

    He said: “Workers welfare and wellbeing must be paramount. That is why we say this rally must take place across the length and breadth of the country. Today in every government house in Nigeria, protest is being transmitted to all our political leaders, the governors at the state level and here, we are in the office of the FCT Minister, who is also like the governor

    “We want to say that workers are very central to economic development. They are very central to the prosperity of any country and therefore we can not be described as the tiny minority.

    “Workers are very productive. We built the Nigerian economy, we fight for democracy, rule of law and good governance and there is no way we can be described as tiny minority, as we services the entire country.

    While insisting that government must approve the N30,000 new national minimum wage, Wabba said that workers are instrumental to the economic development of the country.

    Wabba went further to argue that workers cannot be regarded as a liability but an asset.

    “Nigerian workers are an asset and must be celebrated. Anywhere around the world where there is progress, workers are celebrated. Workers must be able to take care of their families, they must be able to feed well, they must be able to pay children’s school fees, but today most workers are unable to feed three meals per day because the minimum wage of N18,000 is no longer enough to cater for their basic needs.

    “Workers create the wealth of any nation. If we create the wealth of Nigeria then we must partake in the sharing of such wealth and therefore the welfare of workers must be paramount. That was why we said that this rally will take place at the length and breadth of the country.

    “So workers must be able to take care of their family, send their children to school. But today, workers are not able to feed three times a day or send their children to school because minimum wage of N18, 000, is no longer sustainable and no longer realistic and cannot take care of worker’s needs. This is the reality.

    “Therefore we have agreed on the negotiation table which took us up to one year negotiating. Workers have being patience and more considerate and we look at all issues and we agreed on the N30,000.00

    “Nigeria is the best and largest economy in Africa and south Africa is only second to us. Yet, they are paying N120, 000 as their minimum wage and non of their political elite complained and they were able to deliver. It is the same thing with Ghana and that is why their economy is prospering.

    “So if we have a pool of the working poor there is no way the economy can do better. We are here to submit our letter of protest and demand like our states councils are doing in their various state right now, to the FCTA minister and the onward transmission to Mr President. We want to call on Mr president for onward transmission”.

     

  • Minimum Wage: Mobilise for indefinite national strike, NLC tells workers

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has pledged commitment to workers welfare while appealing to the Federal Government to urgently transmit the bill on the new national minimum wage to the National Assembly.

    Ayuba Wabba, NLC president, made the appeal in a New Year message on Tuesday in Abuja.

    According to him, 2018 remains one of the most traumatic for workers especially given the failure of government to enact and implement the new national minimum wage of N30,000.

    “This is in spite of the unimpeachable tripartite process leading to the agreement by the social partners on the new national minimum wage.

    “It is unfortunate that the Federal Government is yet to transmit to the National Assembly an executive bill for the enactment of N30,000 as the new national minimum wage.

    “Government’s dilly-dallying on the issue has strained Government-Labour relations with a potential for a major national strike which could just be days away.

    “Accordingly, we would use this opportunity to appeal to the Government to do the needful by urgently transmitting the bill on the new national minimum wage to the National Assembly.

    “We also would like to use this same opportunity to urge workers to fully mobilise for a prolonged national strike and enforce their right,” he said.

    The NLC president said the strike became the inevitable last option for labour, while calling on all Nigerians and businesses to understand and support it.

    He, however, assured workers that their labour, patience and diligence would not be in vain.

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has pledged commitment to workers welfare while appealing to the Federal Government to urgently transmit the bill on the new national minimum wage to the National Assembly.

    Ayuba Wabba, NLC president, made the appeal in a New Year message on Tuesday in Abuja.

    According to him, 2018 remains one of the most traumatic for workers especially given the failure of government to enact and implement the new national minimum wage of N30,000.

    “This is in spite of the unimpeachable tripartite process leading to the agreement by the social partners on the new national minimum wage.

    “It is unfortunate that the Federal Government is yet to transmit to the National Assembly an executive bill for the enactment of N30,000 as the new national minimum wage.

    “Government’s dilly-dallying on the issue has strained Government-Labour relations with a potential for a major national strike which could just be days away.

    “Accordingly, we would use this opportunity to appeal to the Government to do the needful by urgently transmitting the bill on the new national minimum wage to the National Assembly.

    “We also would like to use this same opportunity to urge workers to fully mobilise for a prolonged national strike and enforce their right,” he said.

    The NLC president said the strike became the inevitable last option for labour, while calling on all Nigerians and businesses to understand and support it.

    He, however, assured workers that their labour, patience and diligence would not be in vain.

    “We will continue to insist on accountability. The NLC will continue to promote worker-education and mobilisation through Congress education programmes and other union training programmes.

    “These activities will be religiously held with the objective of positive impact on workers.

    “Therefore, we urge government at all levels to consider workers as assets and partners in development rather than liabilities,” he said.

    He stressed that the NLC would continue to insist that the elections are clean and that the congress focus was particularly trained on the 2019 general election.

    Mr Wabba also said the NLC would continue to demand that both the election umpire and political actors play by the rules of the game.

    “This is by shunning violence, election malpractices, vote buying, and manipulation of election rules and politics of bitterness.

    “We will also deepen our campaign for good governance and fight against corruption in the same manner that we sustained the campaign for tax justice and illicit financial flows.

    “We also demand that the recovered loot be invested transparently for the benefit of all Nigerians.

    “We say no to the wanton killings under any guise in our country. It also shows a dearth of social justice and the reign of abject poverty. This is a serious setback to the fight against terrorism in our dear country.

    “We wish to remind our political leaders that the security and welfare of the people must be the chief priority of any government’s policy and programmes,” Mr Wabba said.

    He however reiterated NLC’s resolve to continue to push for the prioritisation of the welfare, security and wellbeing of all Nigerians especially workers of all categories.

    He added that “we wish to assure Nigerians, workers that our resolve and commitment to the noble goals and aspirations of justice, equity, decent wages and accelerated national development remains unshakable and inviolable”.