By Kayode Adeoti
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called for the the immediate resignation of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chief Chris Ngige for performing below expectation of Nigerians.
Speaking at the weekend the Kwara State Chairman of NLC, Com. Yekeen Agunbiade said under the present Labour Minister, there have been many industrial actions which could have been prevented.
He said, “The President need to put a labour man in the ministry for better performance compared to the present situation in the sector.”
According to him, the current Labour Minister lacks visionary qualities to ensure that all labour institutes in the country run effectively with greater manpower input and productivity.
Speaking on the almost three months strike embarked upon by the Non-Academic Staff Union of Michael Imoudu National Institute For Labour Studies (MINILS), the Joint Research and Allied Institutions Sectors Union [JORAISU) of Agricultural, Rural Management Training Institute (ARMTI) and National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation (NCAM), he urged the Federal Government to invite the unions for negotiation in order to find lasting solution to the problem.
Recall that members of the above unions staged a protest last week expressing their grievances over Federal Government’s refusal to negotiate payment of their salary arrears which led to industrial action about three months ago.
Agunbiade said, “These people have been on strike for 78 days and there is no negotiations ongoing from the Federal Government concerning their salary arrears and welfare.
“We don’t even know where the problem lies, whether it is within the presidency or the Ministry of Labour but nobody is attending to their demands as I speak with you.
“The remedy is for the FG to call the warring unions to the negotiation table to proffer lasting solution to their strike action,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Chairman has lauded the Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed for the intervention on promotion examination fees deduction from civil servants salaries in the state.
He said, “We want to appreciate the governor for stopping the deduction and his continued support to Civil Service Commission for conduct of the promotion exercise.”
