Thursday, 28th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search
Breaking News:

NLC sees payment of workers’ salary as recession exit strategy

By Toyin Olasinde
15 December 2016   |   3:44 am
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said enhanced remuneration and prompt payment of workers' salaries is veritable for exiting the present economic recession.
The President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba PHOTO: NAN

The President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba PHOTO: NAN

• NUFBTE returns Oyelekan as President
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said enhanced remuneration and prompt payment of workers’ salaries is veritable for exiting the present economic recession.

Congress insisted that it is only when the workers are paid as at when due that the productive arm of the economy can get the boost to support the resuscitation of the depressed economy.

Representing the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba at the 10th Quadrennial Delegates Conference of the National Union of Food Beverage and Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE), the General Secretary, Dr Peter Ozo Eson, lamented that Nigerian workers have been at the receiving end of the present economic crisis.

He said: “It is unfortunate that workers are being made to suffer the effects of which they were not the cause. Owing workers or depressing them will not be the way out of recession, to get out of recession salary should be paid as at when due.”

He maintained that it is when the workers spend the salary earned, that the manufacturing and other service sectors presently going through various challenges can get a respite.

Wabba said the organised Labour is now ready to ensure that no employer be it federal, state or private employers owe workers, while equally pushing for the renegotiation of the existing minimum wage.

“After a year that we have submitted proposal, government is yet to initiate the tripartite committee that will deliberate on it, but we want to let the government know that if this is not done before the year runs out, then she must be in deluge if she thinks we will keep mute as we enter the new year”, he warned.

He, however commended members of NUFBTE for the confidence and support giving to the‎ leadership, which made achieving giant strides possible under Oyelekan as President.

On his part, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of labour and Employment, Dr. Clement Illoh, said the union has demonstrate‎ingenuity in the way to manage resources with the way it built two hotels, a bottled water factory and other ventures.

He commended the role the union played in the issue of foreign exchange restriction to their employers, which he said, is presently getting attention from the Federal Government.

The President of the union, Lateef Oyelekan, who was returned as the National President along with majority of his officers, said with due diligence and foresight his union has now moved to the billionaire club.

He noted that the achievement was in spite of the present recession‎, noting that Nigerians irrespective of status and position must be ready to make sacrifices to turn the economy around.

“Until we all make sacrifices, that is when Nigeria can be great. The National Assembly should be committed and make sacrifices through their allowances”, he said.

Oyelekan also berated employees capitalising on the economic recession to undermine the interest of workers, while charging government to look inward in the procurement of uniforms and other items used by armed forces, para-military agencies and parastatals.

In this article

0 Comments