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Labour to organise rallies in states owing salaries, others

By Collins Olayinka, Abuja
12 September 2017   |   4:22 am
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has perfected plans are to organise rallies in states that have failed to use the bailout funds and the Paris Club refunds to pay workers’ salaries.

Ayuba Wabba

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The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has perfected plans are to organise rallies in states that have failed to use the bailout funds and the Paris Club refunds to pay workers’ salaries.

Congress stated this at the end of its Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Abuja.NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, explained that the rallies tagged: Name and Shame, would be used to draw attention to the continued suffering of workers who have not been paid their salaries for several months.

The CWC meeting urged President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the Minister of Finance not to release the third and final tranche of the Paris Club refund until the governors make a commitment to pay the backlog of salaries and pensions.

The CWC further directed all workers, pensioners and their families to support governors that have used their funds judiciously.On the persistent lack of electricity in spite of power companies receiving about N740b since 2015, the CWC said it finds it difficult to rationalise why government would be planning to give another N39b to bailout the Distribution Companies (DISCOS) for metering purposes.

“Given that one of the condition precedent for the privatisation by the last administration was that the new owners would provide meters for customers within 24 months, CWC said the defaulting DISCOS ought to face sanctions and not additional bailout,” it said.

The meeting also condemned Morocco’s request to become a member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).“CWC feels that on account of Morocco’s continuing defiance of the United Nations (UN) and the African Union (AU), by continuing to occupy Western Sahara, the Kingdom should not be allowed into ECOWAS.

“The CWC, therefore, resolved to mobilise Nigerians and all its stakeholders to ensure that the National Assembly does not support the admission of Morocco into ECOWAS,” it said.

It also hinted that it would use the 2017 edition of Independent Day celebrations to engage in public discussions on major national issues geared towards sensitising Nigerians and direct government’s attention and citizens to the task of nation-building and inclusive development.

The NLC also bemoaned the non-composition of the National Minimum Wage negotiation committee even after labour has submitted its representatives to the committee.

It urged the Federal Government to commence negotiation immediately, as the negotiating committee ought to have been put in place long ago in line with the 2011 Collective Agreement.

Congress stressed that government and its partners need to fast track and conclude the negotiations in time to address the falling purchasing power of Nigerian workers.

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