NLC TO OCCUPY OGUN OVER AMOSUN’S HOSTILE POLICIES AGAINST WORKERS

Ayuba Wabba

The National leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Com. Ayuba Wabba,  has declared that he would lead Nigerian workers to occupy Ogun State on Friday, this week, over alleged hostile policies of Governor Ibikunle Amosun towards the state work force.

The siege christened “Operation Occupy Ogun State,”  Wabba added, is driven by the need to use the planned protest to prevail on Amosun to resolve all pending labour issues between Organised Labour in the state and the Ogun State Government.

The NLC leadership in a letter addressed to  Governor Ibikunle Amosun, dated 20th February, titled “Re: Notice of Protest Against Anti-Worker Actions of the Ogun State Government Scheduled For 1st March, 2019,” said they would storm the state to protest the anti-worker decisions  and infractions on the rights of workers by the state government.

He lamented that the Union had at different times drew the attention of the state  government to its  infractions with calls on Amosun- led administration to  respect the collective bargaining agreement entered with workers as regards the last tranche of the Paris Club Fund.

Wabba noted that by agreement, Paris Club Fund, was meant  to settle gratuity owed workers and unremitted statutory deductions due to workers and trade unions.

According to the Union leader, some of the issues they want Amosun to address include reinstating  the state NLC chairman,  Comrade Akeem Ambali and other labour leaders that were sacked by him.

Others are the liquidation of about 104 months arrears of withheld statutory deductions owed workers and unions in the state;  payment of gratuity owed retirees and settlement of salary arrears owed workers of the Tai Solarin College of Education, Omu -Ijebu.

Wabba’s letter reads : “Your Excellency, we wish to remind you that the actions of the Ogun State Government under your leadership runs contrary to and undermine Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution which guarantees and protects freedom of association which includes the freedom for trade unions to exist and function freely in any part of the country.

“Furthermore, as you know, the rights enjoyed by trade unions to respect for collective bargaining agreements and non-interference in their activities is further guaranteed by Conventions 87 and 98 of the International Labour Organisation and Freedom of Association. These conventions were fully subscribed to by Nigeria upon the attainment of independence.

“Given the intransigence of the Ogun State government to respond to earlier entreaties  by the NLC, Organized Labour in Nigeria has no other option left than to keep Ogun State on an industrial lock down until our demands are met.”