Specifically, the NUP declared that Ngige was using his position to circumvent the trade union and pension laws to favour his kinsmen.
Briefing the Press at the Labour House, Abuja, the Chairman, Electricity Sector branch of the NUP, Mr Abel Olas Eikhor, accused the Minister of directing the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorates (PTAD) to circumvent the law and pay union dues into the account of an individual who is not a member of the Union.
The Union stated that rather than address the issues of a petition written against a former Chairman, Temple Ubani, the Minister who should be conversant with the provisions of the law asked PTAD to pay check off dues deducted from the Union members to Ubani even when Ubani was no longer a member of the union, having formed his own association.
He pointed out that in total disregard to the provisions of the Trade Union Act, the Minister has directed the PTAD to remit union dues of members of the Union to the accounts of Chief Ubani.
Eikhor explained that Ubani was no longer part of the Union, having pulled out to form his own association, known as Electricity Sector Retirees Welfare Association.
He added that in accordance with the law, the only body mandated to receive the check off dues was the National headquarters of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners.
He said that section 17 (a&b) of the Trade Union Act,cap 14, 2004 States that “upon the registration and recognition of any of the Trade Union specified in the third schedule to this act, the employees shall make deductions from the wages of every worker who is a member of any of the Trade Union for the purpose of paying contributions to the trade union so registered, and remit such deductions to the office of the registered within a reasonable period as may be specified from time to time.”
In his response, the Minister, Ngige said “I have never met Mr Ubani, I don’t know him. I only see his writeup that he is applying for registration and the relevant department is dealing with that application. If he meets the conditions of registration of his group, I will not hesitate to do so without fear or favour.
“I am here as the minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and not the minister of any ethnic group. I have never written to PTAD and I know what the law says. I will only write to PTAD if I need any clarification regarding any pension payment.”
While emphasizing that the NUP remain the only recognized trade union which the electricity sector is an affiliate, Eikhor said Chief Ubani had petitioned the Minister of Labour requesting that he prevailed on PTAD to start remitting check off to him and not the NUP as required by law, adding that “in doing this, he is using his ethnic sentiment.”
“Unfortunately, the Minister is mis-understanding the law by giving directives to various agencies to reverse the irreversible. The law is sacrosanct in this regard. Furthermore, PTAD is not under the Ministry of Labour and so, the Minister should be guided,” he said.
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