The Communique of the Central Working Committee of the Nigeria Labour Congress
The inaugural meeting of the Central Working Committee (CWC) held on Monday, March 13, 2023 in the Auditorium of the Congress, Abuja. The meeting deliberated extensively on core union and national issues.
Union Issues
The CWC acknowledged that the State Council election held in 33 states successfully save Osun, Ebonyi and Imo where there were extraneous interventions by Governors were recorded.
CWC resolved to condemn interference in Congress council election, noting that Governors have no business controlling the state councils of Congress. It also resolved to set up caretaker committees in Osun, Ebonyi and Imo.
Statutory Committees
In pursuance of the provisions of Congress constitution, CWC set up statutory committees including the May Day Committee.
• Refusal to implement previous agreements reached between the state government and trade unions since 2021;
• 20 months salary arrears owed to some workers stigmatised as ghost workers;
• Declaration of 11,000 workers in the state as ghost workers and diversion of their salaries even when they were regularly at work;
• Vandalisation of Congress office and equipment by hoodlums recruited by the state government;
• Implementation of discriminatory pay and institutionalisation of apartheid in monthly payments;
• Refusal to pay 8 years arrears of gratuities owed retirees;
• None appropriate implementation of the national minimum wage law;
• Harassment, intimidation and brutalisation of trade union leaders in the state;
• Intimidation of workers in the state;
• Continuous disregard for Collective Bargaining and Social Dialogue;
• Violent interference and disruption of the Congress Delegates Conference in Governor’s bid to impose his favoured candidates.
The CWC asked the Inspector General of Police and the Director-General of the Department of State Security to direct their officers and men in the state not to lend themselves to the nefarious activities and nihilistic tendencies of the Governor as that could lead to the escalation of the conflict with the state.
The CWC similarly also urged President Muhammadu Buhari to call the Governor of the state, Senator Hope Uzodinma to order for his SERIAL acts of physical and social violence which have led to the deaths of not a few, adding that an unmoderated Uzodinma was a recipe for anarchy.
State of the Nation
In the period under review, three major issues have engaged the attention of the nation. They are presidential/national assembly elections; scarcity of PMS and redesigning of the Naira notes and its aftermath.
Elections
CWC noted that elections have held and we have made our broad observations in an earlier statement. It reiterated its earlier statement that those with issues with the outcome of the election utilise the court to seek redress.
It nonetheless said it found it appropriate to renew our call to INEC to sanitise its image as it disenfranchised many people in the presidential and national elections with consequential effects.
Currency Notes Scarcity
CWC said, poor implementation of the Naira re-design policy has caused considerable pain and hardship to the people.
Accordingly, CWC resolved to give the government seven working days beginning from Tuesday, March 14 to make Naira notes available to the people or Congress would be compelled to direct its members to withdraw their services.
Similarly, the CWC-in-session after reviewing the fuel supply situation in the country and the attendant arbitrary costs at filling stations, expressed dismay at the non-challance of NNPC and Government. It accordingly resolved ask the NNPC/ FGN to normalise the fuel supply situation.
The CWC expressed its outrage at the surreptitious increase in electricity tariff without notice and without improvement in quality of service.
CWC resolved that henceforth any surreptitious increase would be met with appropriate response.
Comrade Joe Ajaero
President
Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja, mni
General Secretary