The Organised Labour has called for the review of retirement age for public servants.
The Organised Labour who made the call at the 2023 Workers’ Day Celebration in Abuja demanded that retirement age should be increased from 60 to 80 years while the years of service should be raised from 35 to 40 years.
They also called for the inauguration of an independent panel to investigate the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu and his team over their conduct in the 2023 general elections.
Among other demands was also an investigation into the Ministry of Aviation’s spending of N12b to buy 10 fire trucks.
The President of the NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero said poor wages, abuse of workplace rights and privileges as well as unpaid salaries strip workers of their rights, as such, efforts must be put in place to address them.
On his part, the President of the TUC, Comrade Festus Osifo said he was not happy with the state of the country’s economy as people are struggling to survive with particular emphasis on the the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) currency redesigning policy.
Borno
The Borno Chairman Nigeria Labour Congress Comrade Yusuf Inuwa has appealed to Governor Babagana Zulum to extend the years of service to all categories of civil servants from thirty five to forty years of service and sixty to sixty five by birth.
The Chairman made the appeal on the occassion of this year’s Workers Day celebration at Ramat Square Maiduguri.
He said this will help in retaining the already trained workforce who are retiring in large number.
Comrade Inuwa enumerated some of the worker’s demands to include implementation of promotion benefits to some categories of workers, non-payment of gratuity to retired state and local government staff, hasten the passage for extention of years of Health workers by the State Assembly among others.
“We are requesting the Government to re-visit the issue of Civil Servants and Pensioners that were affected by the Bio-data capturing Committee which has alienated a lot of civil servants and pensioners in the state” Comrade Inuwa said.
He called on government to continue to accord priority to the welfare of civil servants in the state.
Borno state Governor Babagana Zulum assured that government will continue to fulfil its obligations and reduce to the barest minimum workers entitlements.
Represented by his Deputy Umar Kadafur, the Governor urged the civil servants to key into the transformation agenda of his administration and promised to continue to make concerted efforts to provide conducive environment for workers.
Nasarawa
More often than not, the Organized Labour in Nasarawa State has given the State Government one week ultimatum to intervene in the lingering epileptic electricity power supply by Abuja Electricity Distribution Company AEDC to avert industrial actions by workers.
The State Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress NLC) Comrade Ayuba Okoh gave the ultimatum during the 2023 Workers Day in Lafia the state capital.
Comrade Ayuba Okoh explained that the last few months had been very difficult for civil servants coupled with continuous increase in electricity tariff by Abuja Electricity Distribution Company.
He expressed concern that electricity supply in the state had continued to decline yet consumers were confronted with bills that kept on rising every month which according him, workers could no longer afford to pay given their meagre salaries hence the need for the state government to wade into the matter.
“Workers in Nasarawa State want AEDC to improve on electricity supply. We call on AEDC to review its billing system to confirm with the economic realities of the country. Failure to address these issues, workers will be left with no option than to embark on mass action by picketing all AEDC offices in the state.”
Also speaking, the State Chairman, Trade Union Congress, Comrade Mohammed Doma noted that workers in the state had overstretched their patience and can no longer guarantee industrial harmony due to non implementation of the national minimum wage and other welfare packages by the state government.
Governor Abdullahi Sule represented by the Deputy Governor Dr. Emmanuel Akabe said the state Civil Service Commission had been directed to commence promotion of workers in the state.
Katsina
Similarly, the Organized Labour in Katsina State has lauded the Aminu Bello Masari administration for establishing the Katsina State Contributory Healthcare Scheme which has availed workers access to healthcare services at subsidized costs.
Its position was made known by the State Chairman of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, Comrade Muntari Ruma in his May Day address on behalf of the organized labour in the state.
He noted that under the Contributory Healthcare Scheme, workers access healthcare services at various accredited healthcare centers across the state at the minimum cost of 10% for drugs received from a pharmacy.
The TUC Chairman explained that the scheme operates on 2.5 percent deduction from the workers’ consolidated salary as mandated by the National Health Act, 2014 while the scheme covers the worker, his spouse, and four biological children below the age of 18.
Aviator Sector
Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika has felicitated with workers in the aviation sector for their daily contributions to the running and development of the industry as they celebrate Workers Day.
The lofty achievements recorded in the nation’s aviation sector would not have been possible without the “commitment and personal sacrifices” of employees in the different segments of the industry, Senator Sirika said.
He particularly ascribed the near total achievement of the aviation roadmap to the “understanding and cooperation” of the workers, and hoped that the remaining parts will be achieved within the short period before the hand-over to the incoming administration.
In a statement by his Special Assistant, James Odaudu, the minister restated the commitment of the Buhari administration to the continued improvement of the welfare of aviation workers through “regular training, enhanced pay packages, provision of working tools and conducive work environment”.
He also assured workers of his commitment to ensuring the implementation of the respective Conditions of Service of the agencies under the Ministry’s supervision and payment of the minimum wages as agreed with the Labour unions.
The Minister, however, expressed concern over frequent strikes by aviation workers, which, more often than not, disrupt operations at the nation’s airports, thereby sending “wrong signals” to the outside world about the safety of Nigeria’s airspace.
Niger State
Meanwhile, the Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello has asked workers to be more efficient and productive in the discharge of their duties for the progress and development of the state.
In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mary Noel Berje, to mark the 2023 Worker’s Day celebration, the Governor commended the state workforce for “serving as catalysts” in the “formulation and implementation of government policies and programmes”, as well as for sustaining good governance in the state. He advised them to extend such gestures to the incoming administration of Umar Mohammed Bago.
The Governor outlined some of his administration’s “modest achievements” pertaining to Civil Servants, such as the prompt payment of salaries and wages, implementation of new minimum wage and salary structure for health workers and federal Paramilitary salary structure for state Fire Service, refund of 7.5% pension deduction as well as 15%salary augmentation for workers of the state Tertiary Institutions.
Sokoto
Be that as it may, the NLC in Sokoto State has decried non-payment of remittances which the state Government deducted from Workers’ salaries to the unions andcooperatives.
The State Chairman of NLC, comrade Abdullahi Aliyu accused the government of late payment of workers’ salaries, pension and gratuities of retired civil servants.
Reacting, the State’s Head of Service, Abubakar Muhammad commended the workers for their commitment and dedication towards the development of Sokoto state and promised that the state government would work towards the development and welfare of the workers in the state.
Writing by Nosa Aituamen and Aliyu Lawal; Editing by Oluwaseyi Ajibade and Tony Okerafor