FG denies moves to break up NLC

Posted by admin Latest Politics Wednesday, May 16th, 2012

The Federal Government has denied claims by the Nigerian Labour Congerss (NLC), on its purported move to split the labour union through the registration of a parallel labour movement.

Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, who made this known yesterday in Abuja, equally described the allegation as “mere speculation” as there was no such move or application from the Federal Government, its agencies or any labour unions.

The minister, who said he read the allegation by the NLC on the pages of newspapers said he was yet to receive such directives to do so since it was not the responsibility of government to apply for registration of trade union.
He said, “well, the allegation in the media is that Federal Government is bent on registering a union as parallel trade union centre. I have not received such application from Federal Government and it is not within the purview of the Federal Government to apply for registration of any trade union.

“I debunk that; there is no such application from any Federal Government agency before me. I equally debunk that there is no such application from any interested union. Having said so, the current position is that there is no application before the minister of labour and productivity.”
The minister, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Olowookere Samuel, maintained that the registration of trade unions was not hinged on sentiments but guided by extant labour laws, International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions among others.

“The point is that extant labour law has given the minister of labour and productivity authority to accept application for registration of trade union. There is a department responsible for registration of trade unions, which is domiciled in the Ministry of Labour and Productivity, and once such application is received by the ministry there are procedures to be followed and these procedures are not done behind the scene. They are straightforward. Equally, we are guided by the ILO convention that states how trade unions are to be registered. These are procedures that have to be followed.”
He said, “there are certain considerations that will inform registration of unions. When Trade Union Congress (TUC) was registered years ago, I don’t think it was hinged on sentiment, it would have been hinged on procedures being met by the applicant.”

To get to the bottom of the matter, he said a meeting had been scheduled between his ministry and the organised labour to address current issues being reported in the media, especially the issue of registration of new trade union centres.

“I have scheduled a meeting with the labour unions and that meeting will take place on Monday and the issues to be discussed are those issue of specific, current issue that are already been talked about in the media like registration of new trade union centres among other issues raised during the workers day celebration”. He revealed.
The Minister reassured all stake holders in the Labour Sector and the entire Nigerian workers to disregard the publications as government policies are not hidden.
“I must reassure that there is no application from the Federal Government, its Agencies or any Union for now, it still remains in the realm of speculations. Government does not hide, when Government comes with a policy or a position people will know”.
“There is no such application before me actually if the application comes we will be able to discharge our duties without fear or favour, within the best acceptable practices, for now there is no such thing before me”. Chief Wogu assured.

-Sunwp_posts