NSITF: NLC comes hard on Ohaneze over Ngige’s defense

Ukpono Ukpong, Abuja

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has taken the leadership of Ohaneze in the Federal Capital Territory to the cleaners over what they termed as the defense of the “less than honourable conduct” of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, over the matter of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).

Disparaging the group for trying to apply ethnic sentiments to the issue, the NLC General Secretary, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson, said the Congress being a pan Nigerian organization with a reputation for conducting itself dispassionately and for speaking truth to power is populated by workers from all religious and ethnic orientations and can never play the sectarian or ethnic card.

He however warned that gone are the days when a public officer will commit an offence or steal public money and then hide under ethnic or religious banner for protection.

“Our attention has been drawn to a statement published in the Vanguard of 2nd May 2019 and The Nation of 3rd May 2019, and credited to the FCT Chairman of Ohaneze, Federal Capital Territory, one Odozi Nwodozi, in the defense of the less than honourable conduct of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, over the matter of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).

“The facts of what have transpired between Nigerian workers and the Minister of Labour are in the public domain. The issue at stake does not have any tinge of ethnic or religious colouration. We are, therefore, surprised at the recent borrowing of ethnic voices in the defense of the Minister of Labour and Employment.

“As sad as this new low by the Minister and his hired voice is, we must remind the Minister that gone are the days when a public officer will commit an offence or steal public money and then hide under ethnic or religious banner for protection.”

He noted that the decision to engage the Minister of Labour was taken at the recently held NLC’s 12th National Delegates Conference after all efforts including quiet persuasions from the NLC, the advice of the national leadership of the political party to which Dr. Ngige belongs and even a straightforward directive by Mr. President himself failed to make the Minister of Labour see reasons and do the needful.

The NLC’s scribe further noted that it was not the first time that Organized Labour was engaging “less than altruistic Labour Ministers” adding that “Comrade Adams Oshiomhole engaged very robustly a former Minister of Labour, Chief Alabo Tonye Graham Douglas over some of the latter’s anti-labour positions despite the fact that they are from the same geo-political zone.

“During the time of Comrade Hassan Sunmonu, the then Minister of Labour, J.M. Johnson was engaged robustly on labour issues. Mr. Johnson never resorted to ethnic jingoism for cover.

It is most unfortunate that Dr. Chris Ngige is the first Labour Minister to introduce ethnic colouration as an escape route from the smoke of industrial disquiet emanating from a fire entirely stoked by him. Even workers from the village of Dr. Chris Ngige had protested against the stand of the Minister on this matter.” He said

While reiterating the Congress deep respect for Ohaneze as a pan Igbo socio-cultural organization, he stressed that it was, however, unfortunate that somebody in the lower cadre of Ohaneze leadership could be seduced to misuse his position to achieve the narrow objectives of a politician.

“We urge the national leadership of Ohaneze to be wary of such characters who are not only to tarnish but also to destroy the good image that Ohaneze has built for itself over the years.

“We wish to candidly advise the Minister to quit using the press to malign the people he should be protecting.

The way and manner that Dr. Chris Ngige is going about this NSITF issue clearly shows that he has a lot to hide and there is a lot he is not willing to tell Nigerians.

The Minister should stop twisting the truth as most Nigerians are in the know of what he has been doing with the NSITF.

“We urge the Minister of Labour and Employment to redeem whatever is left of his image by inaugurating the NSITF board under the chairmanship of Chief Frank Kokori without further delay.

Finally, for the benefit of Nigerians who are unaware of the intrigues of the Minister of Labour to keep the NSITF under his Sole Proprietorship, we challenge him and other stakeholders to an electronic media debate on this matter so that the truth can be exposed.” Said Ozo-Ezon