The two parties also agreed that the committee would work towards reviewing the current national minimum wage of N18, 000.
The decisions were the fallout of the parley held between the parties on Tuesday in Abuja.
Details Soon
Showing posts with label Nigeria Labour Congress. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nigeria Labour Congress. Show all posts
The two parties also agreed that the committee would work towards reviewing the current national minimum wage of N18, 000.
The decisions were the fallout of the parley held between the parties on Tuesday in Abuja.
Details Soon
Despite Industrial Court order earlier today restraining all labour unions from embarking on the planned strike in protest of sudden hike in petroleum products by the Federal Government, the Academics Staff Union of Universities, ASUU has commenced massive mobilisation of it members to down-tool in compliance with earlier directive by factional Nigeria Labour Congress led by Ayuba Wabba, NLC; Trade Union Congress, TUC and other affiliates labour associations.
National President of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Biodun Ogunyemi, in a letter despatched to members of the congress nationwide and read at the University of Ibadan Chapter on Tuesday where the Chairman of the chapter, Dr Deji Omole addressed members; said that the chapter was ready for mass resistance to what he called obnoxious and callous policy of fuel price increment.
In the letter tittled ‘Increase in Pump price of Premium Motor Spirit to N145 per litre: Proposal for Joint Action with NLC’ stated that “ASUU members are called upon to according to our Union's principles, fully respect Article 2 of the Constitution of ASUU; that our Union and members shall work for the protection and advancement of the socio-economic interests of the nation. Branch Chairpersons are to conduct emergency congress meetings on Tuesday 17 May 2016 to mobilise our members for the action commencing on Wednesday. All branches of ASUU nationwide are to comply.”
Ogunyemi anchored the position on "delayed, partially paid and in most cases unpaid salaries for a number of months by state, federal and local governments, disguised retrenchment of workers, especially by State Governments, in the name of verification exercise and endless hunt for ghost workers and heavy taxation"
The UI ASUU boss, Dr. Omole, has described the policy of subsidy removal as the most criminal ambush from the Mohammadu Buhari-led federal government to empower the rich and cripple the poor.
The ASUU Chair who said that the common denominator to all Nigerians is poverty lamented that the same APC government that failed to pay civil servants for months is now celebrating budget signing with the legalization of black market.
While noting that many state governors who now align with the removal of subsidy ran their states aground through wasteful spending, the ASUU boss called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to beam search lights on state governors.
Excerpts from Daily Trust
Some youths in Bauchi State this morning took to some major streets in a surprise protest in support of President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government's hike of the pump price of petroleum in Nigeria from N86 to N145.
The government reportedly have shifted ground and was ready to reverse the price to N120 per litre of petrol, but the labour was adamant, insisting a total reversal to former rice.
The labour unions under the auspices of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC; the Trade Union Congress, TUC have planned a nationwide strike commencing from tomorrow.
Keep glued to News Punch, we'll keep you updated.
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Photo Source: LIB
An untold reason why dialogue between the Federal Government and the Labour union yesterday night ended in stalemate.
According to a reliable source, the FG in a bid to stop the strike action, during the meeting with the Ayuba Wabba-led NLC proposed N120 per litre but labour rejected, describing it as outrageous, this was principal reason the dialogue was stalemated.
News Punch yesterday's reported that the Federal Government has concluded plan to table a reduced fuel pump price from the initial N145 to N125 has been confirmed as a fresh report as culled from DailyPost says the FG, at the dialogue with the Labour yesterday proposed a reduced rate of fuel pump price to N120.
According to him, the presidency said the best they could do was to reduce the pump price by N25, in consideration of the outcries by Nigerians.
“That was why the meeting ended in deadlock. FG proposed N120 per litre but the NLC insisted on total reversal to the old price, which is N86 per litre.
“They were not ready to accept the outrageous proposal.
“The outcome of the meeting with the Joe Ajaero-led group would determine the next line of action,” the source who would not want his name mentioned said.
However, efforts to reach the NLC General Secretary, Peter Ozo-Esun for confirmation could not yield any fruit at the time of this report.
The dialogue between the Federal Government and workers unions; the Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress and their affiliates over the impending industrial action planned to begin tomorrow due to the sudden hike in petroleum pump price reportedly ended in stalemate.
An account by Punch Newspaper suggests that the government actually discussing with the two factions of the Nigeria Labour Congress-led by Ayuba Wabba and Joe Ajaero respectively.
At the end of the four-hour meeting on Tuesday morning, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Babachir Lawal, briefing journalists said the two parties had “a fruitful discussion and will continue from where we stopped.”
The meeting, which ended at about 12 midnight, will resume at 3pm on Tuesday (today).
Lawal, however, refused to answer further questions from newsmen.
The Federal Government, however, began another round of meeting with the Joe Ajaero-led faction of the labour movement at about 12.15am on Tuesday after its meeting with the Ayuba Wabba-led Nigeria Labour Congress.
Wabba confirmed that discussions with the Federal Government would continue by 3pm on Tuesday (today).
Sources at the meeting said the labour leaders were not convinced by the figures presented by the government team.
Those who attended the meeting included Wabba; NLC General Secretary, Peter Ozo-Esun; NUPENG president, Igwe Achese; PENGASSAN President, Olabode Johnson; TUC President, Bobboi Kaigama; Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige; Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang; and the Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole.
Earlier on Monday, the Federal Government said it had no choice but to liberalise the price of petrol.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who stated this at a news conference in Abuja, justified the increase in the price of petrol to N145.
He also faulted a claim that the new price regime was about removal of subsidy.
He stated, “We have no choice but to liberalise the price of petrol if we are to end the crippling fuel scarcity that has enveloped the country, ensure the availability of the product and end the suffering of our people over the lingering scarcity.”
Debunking a claim that the new price regime was about removal of subsidy, he said, “There is no subsidy to remove because no provision was made for subsidy in the 2016 budget. Last year, the government paid out N1tn in subsidy, and that’s one sixth of this year’s budget. We can’t afford to pay another N1tn in subsidy.”
Justifying the government’s action, he said the fall in the price of crude oil had led to the reduction of foreign exchange available in the country.
This, he explained, had forced marketers to stop the importation of the product, thus making the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation the supplier of over 90 per cent of petrol.
Mohammed stated, “With the drastic fall in the price of crude oil, which is the nation’s main foreign exchange earner, there has also been a drastic reduction in the amount of foreign exchange available.
“The unavailability of forex and the inability to open letters of credit have forced marketers to stop product importation and imposed over 90 per cent supply on the NNPC since October 2015, in contrast to the past where NNPC supplied 48 per cent of the national requirement.”
He dismissed critics, who were comparing ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s fuel price increase in 2012 to the recent one by the Buhari administration.
Mohammed added, ‘‘Our answer to that is that there is no basis for comparison. The conditions in 2012 were vastly different from the conditions now.
“Then, oil was selling for over 100 dollars a barrel, compared to just a little over 40 dollars a barrel now. Then, the country was awash in forex, thanks to the high earnings from oil. Then the foreign reserves were high.
“The new price regime is simply inevitable.”
The minister also disclosed that the renewed insurgency and pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta had drastically reduced national crude oil production to 1.65 million barrels per day, against the 2.2 million barrels per day planned in the 2016 budget.
He noted that the resultant fuel scarcity had created an abnormal increase in price, resulting in Nigerians paying between N150 and N300 per litre because hoarding, smuggling and diversion of products had reduced volumes made available to citizens.
He stated, “The liberalisation of petrol supply and distribution will allow marketers and any Nigerian entity, willing to supply PMS, to source for their forex and import PMS to ensure the availability of the products in all locations of the country.”
In a similar vein, Christians in the 19 northern states and Abuja on Monday backed the deregulation of the petroleum industry and cautioned the Nigeria Labour Congress against the proposed nationwide strike.
Under the aegis of the Northern chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, the association called on organised labour to shelve its planned nationwide strike over the increase in the price of petrol.
Northern CAN’s Public Relations Officer, Reverend John Hayab, who spoke to our correspondent in Kaduna on Monday, said the deregulation of the downstream oil sector was the best option for now in stimulating the nation’s economy.
Hayab noted that the proposed nationwide strike by organised labour could not be in the interest of Nigerians as according to him, “strike has never and will not be the option to revamping the economy.”
The cleric also proposed dialogue between organised labour and the government in order to find a common ground in solving the current problem.
He noted that the association was, however, not happy with the way the Federal Government removed the fuel subsidy without due consultations with other stakeholders.
The spokesman added, “We understand the pains and difficulties Nigerians are passing through. We share the pains and difficulties with them. This is a period of sacrifice.
“We don’t think going or embarking on strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress is the best option. The best option is a roundtable discussion.”
Source: News Punch: Excerpts From Punch Newspaper
Amidst workers' clamour for N56,000 minimum wage, the Comrade-Governor, Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has set a new pace by approving N25,000 minimum wage for Edo workers from the initial N18,000.
Oshiomhole, who made the announcement of the new minimum wage today at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City during the 2016 workers' day rally, said the new WAGE will take effect immediately.
“With effect from today, the new minimum wage for government workers shall now be N25,000, and the new minimum wage will cut across board.
The workers who before the announcement, expressed dissatisfaction over the poor welfare and seeming government’s insensitivity to the welfare of its workersvjumped for joy and happily marched in appreciation of the new minimum wage as announced by the Governor.
Earlier in their respective speeches, the Chairman of NLC, Comrade Emma Ademokun and his TUC counterpart, Comrade Ohue Marshal, expressed concern over the persistent scarcity of petroleum product, epileptic power supply and illegal electricity tariff increase, spiral increase in cost of living, insecurity, kidnapping, rampaging herdsmen, Boko haram, irregular payment of salaries resulting in accumulation of arrears, growing rate of unemployment with the attendant social vices.
The Sun Newspaper - The expectation that the lingering fuel crisis in the country may turn out to be a mirage after all as only 6.5 million out of the anticipated 16 million litres was delivered over the weekend.
According to Daily Sun investigation, 80 per cent of the consignment (21,000 metric tonnes) which represents 5.28 million litres has been allocated to the north while Lagos, Ogun and some other South West states will share the remaining 20 percent or 1.32 million litres.
In practical terms 6.5 million litres translate to 200 tankers, with each tanker containing 33,000. With this calculation, the North gets 160 tankers while the South West will have 40 tankers.
Daily Sun, had exclusively reported the arrival of the vessel christened Sea Frontier which brought in the 6.5 million litres of petrol.
Loading activities at the Apapa and Ibafon depots as at yesterday was not encouraging as long queues of tankers dotted the stretch of Apapa Oshodi Expressway from Ijesha to Mile 2. At press time, scores of tankers were also waiting at other loading bay including that of the Cooperative Society of the Kaduna Petrochemical Refining Company (KPRC) to be loaded.
Investigations by Daily Sun revealed that a vessel arrived at Capital Oil yesterday while loading activities was ongoing at Folawiyo as at 4.20pm with Techno oil loading in trickles.
Meanwhile, commuters across the country have been telling tales of woes as they experience challenges moving to their respective offices and business locations.
However, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has attributed the perennial scarcity to the inconsistencies in the Federal Government’s policy.
The NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, who spoke in Lagos, said contradictory utterances by the Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu on the present crisis have further aggravated the situation across the country.
Wabba said with the statement credited to the minister that fuel would not be available until May made the independent marketers to deliberately hoard the product, while others resorted to selling at skyrocketed prices.
The Minister is not consistent, at one time he said fuel will not be available until May, at another time he said April 7, so the marketers who are behind the present high prices know that they will not be sanctioned. They hoard products, despite the fact that they have fuel, so that they can sell at high prices,” he said.
The NLC president stressed the need for the government to be firm on the issue of petroleum, adding that it is high time the Federal Government addressed Nigerians on the present crisis.
“With the present crisis, we want the Presidency to tell Nigerians if the subsidy policy is still in place or not. The contradiction is what is causing the crisis,” he said.
Wabba who lamented that since the scarcity began, productivity has been at its lowest ebb called for a meeting of all stakeholders in the industry to resolve the perennial problem.
Wabba stated that Nigerian workers have been impoverished by the crisis as they have spend more on transportation.
“This is quite unfortunate, people voted for this government because we believe that they will fight corruption. But we wonder why it is still difficult to stop all these people causing problem in the oil sector, despite the fact that they have support from the people,” he said.
The fuel situation in Benin and environs remains critical as most filling do not have the product to sell. The few stations that have the product are selling between N230 and N250 per litre. The scarcity has forced long queues, especially at NNPC stations and those belonging to major marketers as motorists keep vigil in expectation of supply of fuel.
Expectedly, many commercial buses and taxies have been forced off the road, thereby resulting in transport difficulties even as passengers are forced to pay high fares.
While Abuja has recorded improvement, residents of the South-East are still groaning.
In Lagos, traffic snarl occasioned by the activities of filling stations impeded movement, forcing commuters to spend longer hours in traffic.
At Agege Pen Cinema, Abula Egba, Egba, Yaba, Igando, Ikeja, and Sango in Ogun State, commuters had a hectic time getting buses while the few available ones hiked their fares by over 100 percent in a bid to cushion the effect of high fuel cost.
A ride from Egbeda in the early hours of yesterday, which normally costs N150 attracted to N500 while Oshodi to Mile 2, which ordinarily costs N100 was hiked to N150.
Most of the transporters who spoke to Daily Sun hinged the hike on the high cost of fuel from the filling stations, especially independent marketers who have refused to sell at the official pump price.
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