Labour

2020: We’ll mount pressure on massive jobs generation —NLC

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5 years ago

THE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said that one of its major preoccupations in 2020 is to begin a very robust campaign for generation of mass jobs and for already existing jobs to be decent.

Giving an insight to some issues to be vigorously pursued by the congress in 2020, President of NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said the NLC would campaign for massive employment generation and decent jobs in the new year.

Against this background, Wabba said the NLC would hold a National Job Summit, where all stakeholders would gather to find solution to the problem of unemployment in the country.

The NLC president said: “In the year 2020, the Nigeria Labour Congress will mount a very robust campaign for the generation of mass jobs and for already existing jobs to be decent. To this end, the NLC is perfecting plans for a National Job Summit in 2020. We will get stakeholders: experts, policymakers, concerned demographics and workers on a roundtable to find answers and solutions to Nigeria’s burgeoning unemployment crisis.”

He added: “In the spirit of growing the economy and creating jobs, we urge our compatriots especially our elites to change our consumption habits. We must consume what we produce. We must patronise made in Nigeria.”

The congress also vowed to demand from government and ensure respect for the rights and dignity of the pensioners; regretting the plights of Nigerian pensioners over the years.

Wabba said: “We also wish to use this moment to put to mind the plight of our pensioners across the country. There are varying degrees of infractions and outright violations of Nigeria’s Pension Reform Act in all the thirty-six states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

“We call on our state governments and the Federal Capital Territory Administration to fully comply with our pension laws by ensuring the immediate enactment of enabling laws on Contributory Pension Scheme for states yet to enact same, prompt remittance of both employers and employees contributions to pension fund administrators, actuarial evaluation for retirees whose pension is due and procurement of a Group Life Insurance Policy for workers under the Contributory Pension Scheme. We also urge the three tiers of government to prioritise the settlement of arrears of pension and gratuity liabilities owed our pensioners.

“In 2020, our resolve to protect, promote and prioritize workers’ and pensioners welfare will be indefatigable. We will continue to be the voice for the oppressed and downtrodden. We will dare the enemies of Nigerian workers and people and we will triumph by the grace of God.”

On the issue of nationwide implementation of the new National Minimum Wage, he commended the states that are already paying the new national minimum wage and consequential adjustment in salaries.

He called on the states that are yet to implement the new national minimum wage, including the states that are yet to begin negotiation with labour on the consequential wage adjustment to speedily do the needful.

“In tandem with our position as adopted and communicated after a stakeholders’ meeting on December 11, 2019, organized labour in Nigeria will not guarantee industrial harmony in states that fail to implement the new national minimum wage by December 31, 2019.” Wabba warned.

He directed the state councils to be on the standby to robustly engage state governments that fail to obey the laws.

The NLC President said: “We wish to remind state governors that no excuse would be good enough for failure to pay. The ongoing revelations on the monumental looting perpetrated by former governors prove that only an intent to loot, and deadened conscience not availability of resources would be the reason any governor would hesitate to pay workers the N30,000 new national minimum wage and the consequential adjustment in salaries. The new national minimum wage is now a law and state governors do not have the luxury to choose whether to pay or not.”

Other issues highlighted by the congress to be pursued vigorously within the year, according to Wabba, is an increased partnership with and support for the Federal Government’s anti-corruption fight; robust engagement for the promotion of rule of law and sanctity of the public institution; promotion of national security, peace and unity in the country, and good governance.