No reason to owe workers-TUC

Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has frowned at the way and manner public office holders are paying themselves severance benefits running into billions of naira without addressing the legitimate concerns of the workers particularly on the issue of pension and gratuity.

 The union also frowned at the non implementation of the minimum wage of eighteen thousand naira (N18, 000.00) which is less than $90, in some States of the federation and condemned all the State Governments owing workers’ salaries, describing it as unhealthy for the nation.

 And on this note, TUC urged the incoming government to discourage and discontinue

Situation whereby lawmakers fix their own salaries and allowances and also to

review the salaries and allowances of workers and restore payment of gratuity.

 This was contained in a communique signed by TUC President, Bobboi Bala Kaigama and Secretary General, Musa Lawal issued at the end of Its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Lagos, recently.

 The communique reiterated the union's condemnation of the Government for the non-inclusion of TUC in the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC) inspite of the amendment to the laws establishing the labour centres.

 Frowning at the situation in which labour laws are being reviewed by the NLAC to the exclusion of the TUC, the communique stated , “The NEC-in-session warns for the umpteenth time that it shall no longer tolerate the flagrant violation of the trade union rights of its members, whom it is duty bound to represent and consult on their behalf on labour matters in the country".

 The NEC-in-session also observed that to strengthen the war against corruption, the principle of separation of power must be maintained, thus the judiciary must be independent of the executive adding that the Chief Justice of the Federation and Chief Judge of each State should not be appointed by President and Governors; and Judges should not stay in the office at the pleasure of the President or Governors.

 On the issue of scarcity and high cost of petroleum products, the communique called on the Government to immediately reconvene a stakeholders meeting to address the controversies with the marketers with a view to urgently resolving the demand and supply deficit while concrete steps should be taken on the issue of local refining as part of measures to put a stop to the issue of importation of petroleum products and payment of subsidy.

 However, the NEC-in-session commends the Federal Government and the Armed Forces on the intense manner with which the issue of insurgency is being tackled in the North Eastern part of the country.

 It therefore called on Federal Government to step up more efforts by adequately equiping and motivating the armed forces and make provision for the rehabilitation of the displaced persons so as to make sure that killings, kidnapping and insurgency in the country are totally wiped out hence saving the country from total collapse.

The NEC-in-session condemned in its entirety the alleged anti-labour activities of the Director-General, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), which according to the communique has led to the on-going industrial crisis and the “virtual collapse of the agency”.