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Monday, 21 September, 2015
labour
Nigerian Tribune
anchor Soji-Eze Fagbemi
m:0803 604 4077 e:sojiezek@yahoo.co.uk
ILO, experts call for implementation of ECOWAS Convention on social security
National President, Private Telecommunications and Communications Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PTECSSAN), Comrade Oladapo Moses, receiving the union’s certificate of registration from the Registrar of Trade Unions, Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Abuja, Mrs N. Mbogu. Photo: Soji-Eze Fagbemi, Abuja.
EXPERTS in the labour sector from West African countries and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) gathered on Nigeria Federal Capital, Abuja to deliberate on the operational modalities for the implementation of the ECOWAS general Convention on Social Security across the member states in the West African sub-region. At the two day technical workshop held at the ECOWAS Secretariat, Abuja, the experts and the ILO called for the implementation of the convention; and support to free movement of persons and migration (FMM) in West Africa. The project, tagged: “FMM West Africa,” was jointly funded by the European Union and ECOWAS Commission, and being implemented by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the International Centre for Migration Policy
NLC in partnership with ICPC over bailout funds Commends return of N1bn looted funds Stories By Soji-Eze Fagbemi
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HE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has promised to effectively partner with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to monitor the disbursement and use of the N338 billion bailout funds released to 27 states to pay the backlog of salaries owed their workers. President of NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba made the promise as the congress also commended the anti-graft agency for returning about N1 billion being public funds diverted by some corrupt officials of the Federal Ministry of Environment and the Federal Pay Office. Comrade Wabba said in Abuja that the congress hareal ready directed its states councils to serve as whistle blowers on any criminal diversion of the bail-out funds. He said: “We agree with ICPC that the painful days of the public ‘running after funds after appropriation’ are over for the good of all Nigerians, including our working members. He pointed out that the states the NLC was monitoring are those who have benefited from the disbursed N338 billion bailout funds.
The NLC president acknowledged and commended the ICPC under the Chairmanship of Mr Ekpo Nta for returning about N1 billion “criminally diverted by some corrupt officials of the Federal Ministry of Environment and the Federal Pay Office.” Comrade Wabba said: “We salute the renewed effort and commitment of ICPC to recover looted public funds and other proceeds arising from criminal activities linked to corruption investigations. In doing so, ICPC is commendably living up to its mission statement which
is to rid Nigeria of corruption through lawful enforcement and preventive measures. “Nigeria Labour Congress will continue to support all the anti-graft agencies in their patriotic collective crusade against corruption being one of the cardinal agenda of the President Buhari administration. “One of the objectives of the congress’ September 10th march against corruption and for good governance is to encourage best anti-graft practices which are what ICPC is commendably doing.
“We call on the relevant ministries and agencies of government to ensure the recovered looted funds are properly channeled to the activities they are meant for. Indeed the Ministry of Environment in this case must enter into verifiable performance bond with ICPC. “As we have seen with this latest recovered money, Nigeria and Nigerians are the ultimate losers whenever corruption succeeds. Conversely, all Nigerians are winners whenever corruption is apprehended, as in this case.”
PTECSSAN gets certificate of registration as trade union A new trade union, the Private Telecommunications and Communications Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PTECSSAN), has become the latest addition to the number of trade unions in the country; affiliated to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). The union, led by its National President, Comrade Oladapo Moses, received its certificate of registration from the Registrar of Trade Unions, Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Mrs N. Mbogu, last Thursday to operate as a legal trade union. Mrs Mbogu, while handing over
the certificate, advised the union to keep their operation within their jurisdiction, and keep to the rules establishing the union. She warned them that as a trade union, nobody is bigger and above the union, adding that membership drive is very important, while investment of their resources as they get on would make them stronger. On the upkeep of their certificate, she advised: “You should keep the certiface in bank where signatories can have access to it. At times we say the General Secretary is the custodian of the
certifcate beacuse he or she is the head of administration, but the general secretary may have problem with the union and cease the certificate.” He further advised them to have internal auditor and keep good financial accounting system; while training of their members should be taken seriously. Comrade Oladapo, the national president of the union solicited the support of the ministry, saying, “we need all your support to make us succeed.” Continues pg30
Development (ICMPD) and the ILO. Popular among the countries at the deliberation are: Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Gambia, Togo, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Mauritania. In his address, the Officer in charge of ILO, country office for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Gambia; Mr Dennis Zulu said social security is a human right and all people, regardless of where they live, should be guaranteed at least a floor of basic social protection. According to him, social security is a social and economic necessity to combat poverty and social exclusion and promote development, equality and equal opportunity. The ILO country representative advised that all societies should develop strategies to enhance their levels of social security, guided by ILO social security standards as their economies mature and fiscal space widens. He pointed out that migrant workers must have the same access to coverage and entitlement to benefits as native workers. Mr Zulu said: “Migrant workers are confronted with particular difficulties in the field of social security, as social security rights are usually related to periods of employment, contributions or residency. “They run the risk of losing entitlements to social security benefits in their country of origin due to absence, and may at the same time encounter restrictive conditions in the destination country with regard to their coverage by its national social security system. “It is of particular importance for migrant workers to have the same access to coverage and entitlement to benefits as native workers, to maintain acquired rights when leaving the destination countries, including the right to export the benefits they have earned, and to benefit from the accumulation of rights acquired in different countries. “All these provisions are covered by the ECOWAS general Convention on social security adopted by the Ministers of Labour and Social Welfare in December 2012 and by the Authority of Heads of States as a Supplementary Act to the Revised ECOWAS Treaty, making it a binding instrument which does not require ratification by member states.”