Labour warns govs against mismanaging N400bn bailout fund

Posted by admin Governors, Headlines Thursday, July 9th, 2015

By Bimbola Oyesola

The organised labour has warned state governors against mismanaging the N400 billion given by the Federal Government towards offsetting the backlog of salaries owed workers.

This is even as Nigerians have been charged to demand accountability from the governors.

Speaking at the formal inauguration of the National Council of the IndustriALL Global Union, in Lagos yesterday, the regional Chairman of the body, Mr. Issa Aremu, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for approving an intervention fund for states to pay salaries owed workers. Aremu said the governors should ensure that they use the money judiciously since this was the first time the Federal Government was giving such an intervention fund.

He said, “the governors should ensure that the money is used for what it is meant for. They should be prudent and live as debtors. I mean they should live within their means. It is unacceptable that governors live on bail out, yet fly around with chartered aircraft, behaving like kings.” Aremu who is also the General Secretary of the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTW), noted that N71.7 billion out of the fund was from the Federal Government, while N250 billion was from Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as a soft loan made available to the states to pay the backlog of salaries owed workers.

Based on the economic challenges in the country, the union leader, however, said that it was no longer necessary to create more states since the existing ones are not viable. He said governors should re-industrialise their states to be able to create jobs and make more revenue.

Aremu noted that the present minimum wage paid to workers has dropped in value to 31.8 per cent due to devaluation of the naira, urging the National Assembly and the Federal Government to review the minimum wage to improve the living standard of workers.

He also condemned insecurity in some African countries, especially in Nigeria and urged all the elected leaders as well as members of the National Assembly to endeavour to eliminate activities of terrorists.

On the global union, Aremu said the objective, among others, was to build stronger unions, organise and increase union membership. “The union also fights for the rights of trade unions, industrial policy, promotes social justice and creates safe work places,” Aremu said.

He added that the IndustriALL Global Union was formed on June 19, 2012 at Denmark and the founding federation are the International Metal Workers Federation, the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mines and General Workers Union and the International Textile Union.

Meanwhile, the Regional Secretary of the global union, Mr. Fabian Ukomo, who came from South Africa advised members from Nigeria to be more united to have the power to enforce policies.

“You must get together, plan activities that will increase membership so as to be a more democratic trade union,” Ukomo said.

-Sunwp_posts