Following the increase in the wave of insecurity in the country, especially upsurge in instances of kidnapping for ransom, armed robbery, communal clashes and Boko Haram terror attacks, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has resolved to convene a national security summit to engage the current challenges of insecurity in Nigeria and proffer sustainable solutions.
The NLC said that, to this end, rallies would hold across the country to sensitise government and citizens on the need to address the situation.
The union has also denounced the Federal Government’s delay in commencing the implementation of the new national minimum wage.
This was part of resolutions reached at the recent National Executive Council (NEC) of the union.
NLC president, Dr. Ayuba Wabba, and the immediate past general-secretary, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson, who jointly signed the communiqué at the end of its meeting in Kano, said the NEC expressed alarm at the recent confessions of an arrested bandit who allegedly disclosed that helicopters dropped weapons for criminals, thus suggesting collusion between criminal elements and big-time financiers of criminality.
“The NEC also expressed worries over recent upsurge in attacks by Boko Haram terrorists, who recently attacked three local governments of Gubio, Magumeri and Konduga in Borno North, and the villages of Dille, Lassa, Ngurthlavu, Dagu, Yaffa, Maikadiri, and Kidlindila in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno South,” the union said.
According to the communiqué, most of the victims of the renewed security breaches in the country were workers and poor citizens. The NLC noted with alarm the impact of the rising wave of criminality on the lives of citizens and the socio-economic conditions in the country. It reiterated its stand that the primary responsibility of government was the security of life and property, and called on government at all levels to improve the quality and quantity of policing for the security of citizens and property.
The communiqué noted that the NLC had resolved to convene a national security summit to dispassionately engage the current challenges of insecurity in Nigeria and proffer sustainable solutions.
On the new national minimum wage, the union condemned what it called foot-dragging in the implementation of the new wage structure and demanded immediate implementation, effective from the day the bill was assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The implementation of the new minimum wage bill, which the President signed in April, had been stalled over the issue of relativity and consequential adjustment of salaries following deliberations between government and labour.
“The NEC noted with dismay the continued delay by the Federal Government and other tiers of government to implement the new national minimum wage of N30,000 as recently enacted.
“The NEC emphatically posited that the government can no longer hide under protracted negotiations with workers in the public sector for consequential salary adjustment based on the new national minimum wage to delay the implementation of the new national minimum wage.
“After very vigorous deliberation on the need to immediately implement the national minimum wage, the NEC insists that the payment of the new national minimum wage should commence immediately,” the communiqué said.
Meanwhile, chairman of the Ekiti State chapter of the NLC, Mr. Kolapo Olatunde, has said the Federal Government would commence payment of the long-awaited new wage from next month.
Olatunde spoke in Ado-Ekiti yesterday.
“I speak to you as a right source that nothing will stop the implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage next month.
“Government will pay the new minimum wage in the first week of September.
“After the National Executive Council meeting of the NLC in Kano, we have streamlined everything that can cause any further delay of the payment. Now, we are waiting for the outcome,’’ Olatunde said.
He explained that the issue of consequential adjustment raised by labour to properly harmonise payment of the new wage had delayed the process.
When he was asked to state the exact date workers should expect the new wage, he said the payment could start from the first week of September.
He noted that Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, had made it his priority to ensure that the minimum wage issue was finally resolved.
Organised labour and the Federal Government have been locked in continuous bickering over the modalities for the payment of the new minimum wage, which was approved earlier this year after long negotiations.
On April 18, President Buhari signed the Minimum Wage Bill into law, to the relief of Nigerian workers, but payment of the wage has remained a problem.
Labour had asked for consequential adjustment but government argued that it had already made budgetary provision for an adjustment of N10,000 across board for those already earning above N30,000 per month, which led to a logjam.
On the national economy, the NEC also urged government to take adequate steps to develop people-oriented socio-economic policies to address endemic poverty and inequality facing citizens all over the country, especially workers.
It commended the Federal Government for the executive order mandating that the uniforms of the military and para-military services, students, prisoners and other persons required to wear uniforms be produced in Nigeria.
“It was the considered view of the NEC that such policy directives go a long way in mobilising support for locally produced goods and ensuring the competitiveness of local industries and manufacturers,’ the communiqué said.
The NEC commended the Federal Government for robustly engaging social partners, particularly organised labour and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, prior to Nigeria’s ratification of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).
It urged the Federal Government to robustly negotiate and finalise the clause on “the Rule of Origin” and “Sensitive Products” to ensure that goods traded within AfCFTA have significant local content.
“The NEC also implored government to ensure protection of identified sensitive products. This is in order to pre-empt turning Nigeria into a dumping ground.
“We encourage sister trade union centres in Africa to robustly engage their governments on AfCFTA implementation to protect the interest of workers and local economies on the continent.’’
On protection of civil liberties, including right to peaceful protests, the NEC reiterated the traditional position of the congress on the protection of fundamental human rights, including the right to freedom of association and right to peaceful protest.
It also urged government security agencies to ensure respect for those rights.