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Prioritise workers’ rights over partisan politics, Oshiomhole tells organised labour

Published

6 months ago

November 15, 2023

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The senator representing Edo north, Adams Oshiomhole, has urged organised labour to prioritise the rights of workers rather than engage in partisan politics.

Recently, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) said they were embarking on a nationwide strike to protest the alleged brutalisation of Joe Ajaero, president of the NLC, in Imo state.

The strike commenced at midnight on November 14.

On Tuesday, there was partial compliance to the strike across the country.

Speaking with journalists on Tuesday at the presidential villa, Oshiomhole said he will always be on the side of the labour unions as a worker and former union leader.

He added that the ongoing strike is motivated by political considerations rather than a clear worker-focused purpose.

“Labour cannot be apolitical because politics is about the people,” he said.

“When I was in NLC I had argued that nobody has a right to be partisan, much more than those who turn the will of our industrial progress.

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“But in saying that, we must recognise that no matter how hard you try, when it comes to politics, people are going to have different reasons for supporting different candidates.

“You have to be careful not to be seen to be doing the bidding of a particular candidate or a particular political party.

“As president of the NLC, I made no friends with any politicians in Edo state.

“I was not anybody’s boy. I want to make my decisions. I take responsibility for those decisions.

“You can’t find me in the house of a politician not because I hate them.

“I represent those guys who can only vote, even though the law allowed them to be voted for. Unfortunately, the system hardly throws them up.”

‘STATES MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR MINIMUM WAGE’

Speaking further, the former Edo governor wondered why the labour unions are not mobilising against states that are yet to implement the minimum wage.

READ Strike: Oshiomhole doesn’t have sufficient information – TUC

He said organised labour should hold state governments accountable for payment of national minimum wage, which also covers local government and state workers.

“If these are the issues on the table, even as a senator, I will publicly support an action against any government that thinks that we should lament away our hunger while the people do what they do,” the senator said.

“Unfortunately, this strike is not about those issues. And I think we have to be careful not to mix our political opinion with our responsibilities, because the issues confronting workers are so many that they should become the priority.”

The former Edo governor said he does not support the brutalisation of Ajaero.

JUST IN: Tinubu, Shettima to pay toll at airport gates

Published

5 hours ago

May 14, 2024

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President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima will now pay the required toll whenever they use the gates at airports.

Festus Keyamo, minister of aviation, announced this to journalists after the federal executive council (FEC) meeting chaired by Tinubu at the presidential villa in Abuja on Tuesday.

Keyamo said he presented two memos which were approved by the council.

Details later…

READ Subsidy removal: NLC to commence strike Wednesday

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Tinubu suspends 0.5% cybersecurity levy

Published

5 hours ago

May 14, 2024

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President Bola Tinubu has suspended the 0.5 percent cybersecurity levy after criticism and protest trailed the announcement.

Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national orientation, announced the suspension.

Idris said Tinubu directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to suspend the implementation and review the modalities for its implementation.

Details later…

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Minister to sue Niger speaker over plans to ‘marry off’ 100 girls, says it’s ‘totally unacceptable’

Published

11 hours ago

May 14, 2024

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Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, minister of women affairs, has petitioned the inspector-general of police (IGP) and sought a court injunction to halt the marriage of 100 girls in Niger state.

Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, speaker of the Niger state house of assembly, announced last week that he would sponsor the wedding of 100 girls, some of whom were orphaned by insurgency, as part of his Maringa constituency project.

He said he had procured materials for the event scheduled for May 24, and promised to pay dowries for the bridegrooms.

Following the outcry that trailed the announcement, the speaker explained that he was only financing the wedding — not forcing the girls into marriage.

However, Kennedy-Ohanenye said the plan is unacceptable, and that the future of the girls should be a priority.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Monday, the minister said a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the issue will be carried out.

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She said the ministry will take responsibility for the girls’ education and vocational training.

“I want to let the honorable speaker of house in Niger state know that this is totally unacceptable by Federal Minister Of Women Affairs and by the government,” Kennedy-Ohanenye said.

“Because there is something called the Child’s Right Act and I said it from the onset, that is no more business as usual.

“These children must be considered, their future must be considered, the future of the children to come out of their marriage must be considered.

“So I have gone to court. I have written him a letter and written a petition to the IG of police.

“And I have filed for injunction to stop him from whatever he is planning to do on the 24th, until a thorough investigation is carried out on those girls, find out whether they gave their consent, their ages, find out the people marrying them.

READ Subsidy Removal: NLC two-day warning strike begins September 5

“As the speaker did not think about empowering these women or sending them to school or giving them some kind of training support financially.

“The women affairs have decided to take it up and we are going to educate the children.

“Those that do not want to go to school, we will train them in a skill, empower them with sustainable empowerment machines to enable that child build his or her life and make up her mind who and when to get married.

“If for any reason the speaker tries to do contrary to what I have just mentioned, there will be a serious legal battle between him and the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs.”

The minister added that based on the Child Rights Act, every child belongs to the state, hence the rights of every child will be protected from harm and violence.