LABOUR Pensioners caution Ngige over registration of factional union LGA workers mass sack in Kaduna illegal- NLC

Pensioners in the Electricity Sector as well as Contributory Pension Scheme have cautioned the minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige over the registration of factional unions in the pension sector.

Speaking at a press conference held at Labour House, Abuja, Chairman of Caretaker Committee NUP electricity sector, Mr. Abel Eikhor, referred to an attempt by the minister to register a new pensioner’s association named Electricity Sector Retirees Welfare Association (ESREWA), headed by chief Temple Ubani.

He said the minister cannot register another pensioners association, because he lacks the power to do so.

Making reference to Article 3 (2) of the Trade Union Act, which says “No combination of workers or employees shall be registered as a Trade Union save with the approval of the Minister on his being satisfied that it is to register the union either by regrouping existing Trade Unions, registering a new Trade Union or otherwise however, but no Trade Union shall be registered to represent workers or employees in a place where there already exists Trade Union,” he stated.

“We are reliably informed that the Hon. Minister is considering registering the Association (ESREWA) trying to use Section 3(2) of the Trade Union Act to do so.”

He threatened that if the Minister go ahead to regroup the new association , they will be forced to go to court.

“I did mention the antics of the former president of the NUP(ES) using ethnicity by going through the back door trying to register his newly formed association “Electricity Sector Retirees welfare Association” (ESREWA) with the connivance of the Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige.

He said, “We have it on good authority that for the Minister to pacify his tribe man having already lost out in the power play going on in the Electricity Sector, the Minister is banking on this section to claim he wants to regroup the Nigeria Union of Pensioners by creating the Electricity Sector out of it.

“We the Electricity Sector pensioners want to make a bold statement here today to the Minister of Labour, Dr. Chris Ngige to stay clear of union politics. We have not approached him for any membership registration and of course, there is even no need for such as NUP is already adequately catering for the interest of the Electricity Sector pensioners.

“We are by law affiliate member of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, and we have no reason to seek for a registration of our own. Our plea therefore is for the Hon. Minister to please leave us alone and let us enjoy peace in our Union.”

However the Minister had denied the allegation and claimed he does not know Chief Temple Ubani, but admitted the papers seeking registration of the said union were submitted to his office.

When Daily Trust contacted Chief Temple Ubani on phone, he denied knowing the minister and accused the union`s caretaker committee of lacking the powers to speak and act on the issues.

“I don’t have any recognition for the caretaker committee. We have elected exco at the chapters. We have 57 chapters at states and national secretariat.

“Incidentally I have been elected by all federal parastatals to lead them. The minister is from Anambra and I am from Abia state. I have never sat with him for one day. I don’t want to talk about the caretaker committee because they stand unrecognized, but if it is the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), the recurring issue between the electricity centre and the NUP is at federal court. The minister has not expressed any special interest in me. The parastatals came together and applied for registration so if they succeed so be it. If they have issue with the minister that is another thing but they should not malign him by attributing ethnic favoritism to the issues.” The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has again condemned the mass sacking of about 5000 local government workers by the Kaduna State government.

A statement issued by the NLC president Ayuba Wabba stated that the sack violates the provisions of all known labour laws and industrial relations practice as well as processes.

Wabba said that the reasons adduced by the government for its action are spurious and unfounded.

He said, “Aside from this, the process is patently faulty and unlawful. For instance, redundancy cannot be carried out without following the provisions of the Labour Act. When the government of Kaduna State announced to the whole world its plan to lay off about 25,000 teachers for failing a competency test for Primary Four Class, we not only expressed our misgivings, we said the so-called competency test was a subterfuge and part of a premeditated plan to drastically cut down the workforce in furtherance of dangerous neo-liberal policies. The latest illegal mass sack of workers lends credence to our assertions or fears.”

The NLC president warned of the consequences of “the reckless actions of the government of Kaduna State” and called for caution and res traint on the part of the government.