May Day: Labour leader charges NASS on anti-corruption bill

…Saraki, PDP salute Nigerian workers, cautions APC, FG against Bullying, victimisation

…Ngige hails Nigerian workers

Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo, Lagos, Tunde Opalana & Ukpono Ukpong, Abuja

As labour unions mark Workers Day today, the newly elected members of the 9th Assembly have been charged to pass the Anti-Corruption Bill into law in order to save Nigeria as soon as they resume.

The National Secretary of Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP), Comrade Abdulrasaq Saidu, who gave this charge while assessing the performance of Nigerian workers in his office in Lagos, said there was urgent need to tackle corruption to save civil servants in the country.

According to Saidu, workers have continued to bear the brunt as politicians have continued to milk dry the economy of the nation, stressing that the country needed sanity.

Saidu noted that companies sold by the previous government such as the National Shipping Line, and National Electricity Power Authority among others were sold to enrich very few Nigerians and called for their reversal.

He frowned at the poor handling of the National Health Insurance Scheme and the National Housing Fund as conduit pipes for people in the agencies as they manipulated workers funds.

The ANAP scribe, who described the minimum wage for Nigerian workers as nothing, noted that it will be difficult for parents to meet up with school fees for their children as a result of privatisation of schools in the country.

On the aviation sector, Saidu called for the sack and replacement of all the heads of parastatals in the industry to give the agencies new lease of life.

He noted that conspiracy remained the greatest problem in the aviation sector especially in the ministry as they failed to order the payment of debts owed various agencies.

Saidu lamented that despite directive from the President that parastatal Boards should inaugurated, the minister of State for Aviation Hadi Sirika had disobeyed the directive, saying it was abuse of office.

He blamed the ministry for undue interference in the running of the activities of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, waning that the autonomy of the regulatory was being threatened.

“I blame the ministry for interference; the autonomy of NCAA is being threatened by the activities of the ministry. The regulation body is weak and airlines increase fares at will,” he said.

On the access gate at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Saidu called for the immediate review of the agreement with the concessionaire to reflect on the current challenges on ground.

According to him, the volume of traffic at the access gate has increased and the contract needed to be re negotiated.

Saidu commended aviation workers for their contributions to the development of the sector and charged them not to relent in the struggle to create better working environment.

Meanwhile, as Nigerian workers join the global workforce to celebrate the 2019 May Day, President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has saluted Nigerians workers for their tireless contribution to the socio-economic development of the country, in spite of fluctuating economic realities.

Saraki, in a message of goodwill to mark the 2019 Workers’ Day celebration, signed by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Yusuph Olaniyonu, in Abuja, also commended the leadership and members of the organised labour for their patriotism in often choosing dialogue rather than industrial action in resolving trade disputes.

He expressed hope that workers would be encouraged to always put in their best in working to uplift and sustain the nation’s economy, in view of the recent signing into law of a new minimum wage of N30,000.00.

“No nation can develop without a virile and agile workforce. It is trite to say that workers are the mainstay of our nation’s economy, since no policy of government, no matter how remote, will succeed without the commitment and collaboration of workers saddled with implementation.

“However, having interacted with Nigerian workers and their leadership times without number, I can say without fear of contradiction that the nation’s workforce is among the best in the continent,” he stated.

“All that is left is to adequately harness their abundant talents and spirit of patriotism to further improve on the nation’s economic and political development through timely and adequate motivation, training and retraining.

The public sector should work to ensure that the country realizes her potentials.

It should eliminate tardiness, increase the level of discipline and strive to provide enabling environment for the private sector to thrive with the resultant broadening of the scope of national prosperity”, Saraki stated.

He called on the leadership of organised labour to continue to discharge their responsibilities in the overall interest of the country and her people while the government would continue to do its best to meet the yearnings and aspirations of workers and other Nigerians through sustainable welfare programmes.

Also, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has commended Nigerian workers for their service towards the stability and development of the dear nation.

The party also acknowledged the patriotism and resilience of the workers, particularly for remaining steadfast to the course of nation building, in spite of the harsh economic conditions foisted on them by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.

The PDP said it is rather unfortunate that Nigerian workers found themselves operating under an administration that does not appreciate their inputs; that has no tangible strategy for their much-needed capacity building and reward system, but only relishes in Greek gifts and official bullying.

The PDP in a statement by its spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, cautioned Federal Government that the N30,000 minimum wage should not be a justification for any form of bullying or victimisation against the workers.

“The Buhari-led APC administration must elevate its discourse in understanding that workers welfare is not tied to a minimum wage but in creating conducive working environment,

established capacity building and reward system as well as a secure and economically viable environment that enable the workers, and indeed all Nigerians to meet their social and economic needs without stress; as contained in the Atiku Abubakar Master Plan.

“It is however unfortunate that at the time Nigerian workers should have been getting ready to enjoy the benefits of a new order under Atiku Abubakar, the nation is being set back by the ills of electoral manipulations”, the party stated.

The PDP nevertheless, urged the Nigerian workers not to be despondent, as the mandate, which was freely given to Atiku Abubakar, will be retrieved at the tribunal.

It called on the workers, as patriotic Nigerians, to continue to put in their best in serving the nation even as it wishes them a happy Workers Day.

Also, Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, on Tuesday, felicitated with Nigerian workers on the occasion of the 2019 Worker’s Day.

In a statement made available to The Daily Times, the minister said the theme of this year’s celebration which is “Another 100 Years of Struggle for Jobs, Dignity and Social Justice in Nigeria” aligns with the vision and efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari to not only uplift the lots of the Nigerian worker,

but to also leave a legacy of a buoyant economy capable of creating a sustainable abundance for the people.

“On behalf of the Management and Staff of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment as well as its parastatals, I wish to send warm felicitations to the Nigerian workers on the occasion of 2019 Worker’s Day.

“The uniqueness of this year’s event manifests eventfully in its co-incidence with the Centenary celebration of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) which Nigeria proudly pioneered as the first Country Office in Africa sixty Years ago, in Lagos, 1959.

“While I sincerely salute the resilience of the nation’s workforce and its numerous contributions to national development, we owe plentiful accolades to the most labour-friendly President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, who took practical steps to douse the restiveness in the labour force he inherited four years ago due to unpaid salaries and allowances.

“He released bailout funds at the State and Federal level, and capped it all with a New National Minimum Wage for the Nigerian working class in public and private sectors.”

However, Ngige expressed optimism that things will get better in the ‘Next Level’ even as he wished the workers a productive and fulfilling Worker’s Day celebration.