Labour plans naming, shaming of debtor-governors

NIGERIA Labour Congress (NLC) President Comrade Ayuba Wabba yesterday warned state governors owing salaries of their workers and pensioners that international disgrace and embarrassment await them in the countries they visit henceforth.

Wabba, who is the newly elected president of International Trade Union Confederation, the global trade union body, said workers across the globe would be mobilised to embarrass any governor who travel to other countries without first paying salaries of workers and their pensioners.

He said Nigerian governments have no basis to treat workers and pensioners the way they are being treated because the country has enough resources to take care of its people.

Speaking at the 2018 International Pensioners Day celebration in Abuja, Wabba also told the governors that it was criminal for them to deduct pension contributions from workers’ salaries and failing to remit same to the pension fund administrators.

He asked Nigerian workers, especially those working in the nation’s airport to be on the watch out for such governors and inform him accordingly of the countries such governors are heading to.

Wabba said workers in such countries would promptly be mobilised to embarrass and chase away such governors on arrival in such countries.

“With our new position offering leadership to all workers across the world, because ITUC represents 207 million workers in 163 countries with 331 Labour centres.

“I have told our members clearly that any governor that refuses to pay salaries and use our resources to travel and enjoy himself elsewhere, they should be sure that they will be confronted anywhere they go.

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“In my capacity as ITUC President, we have already issued that notice. Just be on the watch out. Our workers at the airport should be on the watch out for any of them not paying salaries, if they are leaving the shores of our country; just let us know the country they are going to and we will mobilise workers over there and from the airport, they will be disgraced and chased away.

“That is the way to go because Nigerians must demand for accountability, transparency and the rule of law. We have more than enough and we are not a poor country. We are the leading economy in Africa and have the resources. It is all about mismanagement with few people looting our resources.

“Looting is no longer done in millions, but in billions and you wonders what the person will do with it. We should use our resources to build our country and make life bearable for all Nigerians. I want to thank you for all the sacrifice you have made to build our nation.”

He hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for paying 50 per cent of benefits of Nigeria Airway retirees.

“Many of them have died, but this is worthy of commendation. However he should also look at the balance and the same gesture should be extended to all other retirees,” he said.

Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) National President Dr. Abel Afolayan said pensioners have gone through thick and thin in the process of payment of their retirement benefits.

The leadership of the union, he said, is determined to end the pains, tears and unbearable sufferings arising from payment of pensioners’ legitimate entitlements at the federal and state levels.