The Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical And Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) has urged Federal and State governments to begin the implementation of the new Pension Reform Act 2014.

Speaking at the 20th plenary session of the National Governing Council (NGC) of the union in Abuja, the General Secretary of the Union, Yusuf Zambuk, lamented that the non-implementation of the Act is threatening the wellbeing of workers.

He explained: “The New Pension Act 2014 part 11 Section 5 has provided for group Life Insurance Policy in favour of each employee for a minimum of three times the annual total emolument of the employee and the premium is expected to be paid not later than the date of commencement of the cover. But as at date, the Federal Government, states or local government in Nigeria have implemented this policy in favour of employees. It is surprising however that the political office holders enjoy retirement benefits inclusive of medical, car, furniture etc. after serving their 4-year tenure but nothing is being said about serving public officials by the Federal Government, states and local governments.”

Additionally, the NGC-in-session has called for the unity of the labour movement in the country in order to fight for the emancipation of the working class from the clutches of the crippling economic policies.

President of AUPCTRE, Solomon Adelegan, said the NGC-in-session has resolved that the engagement between the political class and the organized labour will be on a continuous basis in order to achieve this basic objective of protecting the rights of workers as well as promoting their collective welfare.

A communiqué issued at the end of the parley urged the political class to reduce cost of governance at all levels.

On the security challenges in the country, the AUPCTRE President said the union called on the Federal Government to use dialogue with a view to resolving the perceived grievances of the Boko Haram and Niger Delta Avengers.

Adelegan lamented that despite the provision of bailout funds for payment of arrears of salaries, pension and gratuity to state government by the Federal Government, most of the state governments have misappropriated the funds.

He said: “NGC-in-session further calls on the federal government to ensure that all states government should be called to account for the disbursement of the fund in the spirit of the current war against corruption. Deriving from the above, the NGC-in-session wish to put the affected States on notice to either immediately resolves the issue of paying outstanding salary, pension and gratuity arrears in their respective States or be prepared to face the anger of the organized labour.”

On the issue of privatization of public utilities, Adelegan expressed serious concern at the wave at which both the Federal and several State governments are committed to privatizing the critical sectors of the economy specially water, and electricity firms.

“The NGC-in-session expressed its opposition to any form of privatization, commercialization and or concessioning base on the fact that every government whether Federal or State has the responsibility to provide essential social services for its citizens, privatizing critical sector of the economy will therefore, negate this basic objective. The NGC-in-session therefore resolved that, both the Federal and State governments contemplating in privatizing should desist or face the wrath of the organized labour,” he stated.

On the lingering fuel crisis and deregulation, Adelegan said: “The NGC-in-session could not comprehend why Nigeria which is the 6th largest oil producing nation in the world could find itself in this situation. And most embarrassing is the fact that after more than 60 years of oil discovery, Nigeria cannot refine enough crude for domestic consumption.

“The NGC-in-session find it difficult to comprehend the reason why the federal government unilaterally increase pump price of premium motor spirit (PMS) without a corresponding increase in the salaries and wages of workers in the country and palliatives to cushion the effect of this increase on the masses of Nigeria.

“The NGC-in-session considered the last increase in pump price as unreasonable because it has further added to the hardship of citizenry due to poor infrastructure and other essential services in the country.”