LABOUR COMMENCES STRIKE OVER LIVING WAGE AS NASS INTERVENTION FAILS .... .. threatens to cripple the country as various affiliate unions join

NASS INTERVENTION FAILS AS LABOUR COMMENCES INDEFINITE STRIKE ON MONDAY 3RD JUNE... 

... Threatens to cripple the country as various affiliate unions join 

By Emma Asiegbunam ANipr (MR E) 

As the last minute intervention by the NASS leadership to meet with NLC and TUC leaders so as to prevent the impending strike, reportedly ends in deadlock with no agreement reached (Labour refused to suspend the strike or reduce its request of N494,000 as living wage for workers),  it is worthy to note that should this strike take off as planned, it will lead to a total shut down of ALL services in Nigeria. 

This is because many key unions under these two association, have all been mobilized and have instructed their members to embark on strike with effect from midnight today. 

 Apart from conventional civil servants, Banks, Electricity workers, Hospitals, Schools, Oil and gas and petroleum, courts, Transporters, aviation and  artisans in the private sector will be joining the strike through these their individual unions below;

1. The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).

2. Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN),

3. Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), 

4. National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE),

5. Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN),

6. Nigeria Union of Railway Workers (NURW), 

7. National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE),

8. Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG),

9. Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN),

10. Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU), 

11. National Union of Civil Engineering Construction, Furniture and Wood Workers (NUCECFWW),

12. Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP),

13. Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service Technical and Recreation Services Employees (AUPCTRE), 

14. Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC).

15. Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN)

If Labour has its way and sticks to its guns, this might just be the mother of all strikes in recent time. 

However, many Nigerians are of the opinion that the current leadership of NLC and TUC under Joe Ajaero and Festus Osifo respectively, are weak and cowardly at  best and compromised at worst. The strike according to skeptics like me, may not last beyond the first three days. Labour will soon be cowed via the courts  or coerced via the security agencies or compromised via underhand deals to prematurely call off the strike, that is if it ever takes off.

EARLY SUNDAY MORNING FATAL ROAD ACCIDENT CLAIMS DOZENS IN ANAMBRA STATE......... RTEAN LAMENTS INCIDENT AND CONDEMNS INCESSANT HARRASMENT OF DRIVERS BY GOVT AGENTS

EARLY SUNDAY MORNING FATAL ROAD ACCIDENT CLAIMS DOZENS IN ANAMBRA STATE.....

..... AS RTEAN LAMENTS INCIDENT AND CONDEMNS INCESSANT HARRASMENT OF DRIVERS BY GOVT AGENTS

By Emma Asie ANipr (MR E) 

The Anambra State chairman of Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) Ambassador Chinedu Nwabueze, has lamented the fatal multiple road accident that occurred early on Sunday morning 2nd June 2024 along the Oba-Idemili axis of  Onitsha-Owerri express way which took the lives of dozens of persons and according to him was directly caused by unruly Revenue collection agents of the Anambra state government 

Condeming the role of the Revenue collection agents in the dastardly accident, Mr Nwabueze regretted that such an avoidable accident appear to be a recurring incident in Anambra state recalling that in 2023 alone, not less than ten of such fatal accidents were reported in the state leading to the loss of dozens of innocent lives and destruction of vehicles and properties worth  billions of Naira. He stated that the revenue agents whom he described as thugs and criminals mount road blocks along major roads and resort to all manner of violence and intimidation in order to collect certain tolls from drivers and other road users. He stated that this was what directly caused that fatal multiple accident on Sunday Morning involving two trailers, three buses, five tricycles and other vehicles . Dozens of people many of them on their way to church, died in the accident. He regretted the unnecessary waste of human lives in the carnage which would have been prevented if the state government had acted upon his earlier complaints. He emphasized that most of the tolls are illegal and inhuman especially the  collection of  one thousand naira (N1000) from every interstate transporter that passes through Anambra state and that he had written to both the state governor Prof Charles Soludo and the commissioner of Police about it. 

The chairman noted that the letter the  RTEAN had written  to the Governor raised  five major points of concern about the Transport business in the state. They include

1. Upfront payment of road tolls by drivers of various categories. According to him, global best practice is for tolls payment to be paid after usage of the roads and not upfront. 

2. Huge accumulated debts allegedly owed by drivers to the state government. This was caused by the practice of collecting accumulated tolls even from drivers that did not work for extended periods due to one reason or the other (like vehicle fault, health challenges etc). He insisted that these debts must be canceled unconditionally. 

3. Use of desperate, dangerous thugs and criminals to collect tolls rather than trained union members. He called for a return of the task of toll collection to the association whose members are trained, organized, peaceful and more effective in the duty. He insisted that all the current revenue collection agents should be withdrawn and their various road blocks across the state, dismantled immediately. 

4. Collection of N1000 from all interstate vehicles. He insisted that the practice should stop immediately as it is illegal and  the tolls collected so far be returned to the unions for onward refund to the interstate drivers through their individual state unions. 

5.The RTEAN also called on the state government to hold an urgent critical stakeholders meeting to determine the way forward for the public transport sector in the state. 

The chairman said the RTEAN gave the state government a 20 day  ultimatum to comply with all the above demands but unfortunately the government chose not to respond. Upon expiration of the ultimatum, the association gave another 7 days which will expire by Friday 7th June. Non compliance by the state government will lead to an indefinite strike by all the  various public transport unions affiliated with the RTEAN. This includes buses, shuttles, tricycles, motor cyclists, trucks and trailers. 

He called on the state government to urgently act so as to prevent a continuation of the unfortunate but preventable fatal accident of Sunday morning along other roads in the state and prayed for the repose of the souls of the dead and healing and solace to the wounded.

Recall that Mr Nwabueze had earlier raised same concerns about toll collection, harrasments, incessant fatal road accidents caused by these unruly revenue collectors during his appearance on Alpha Radio 106.5fm Nnobi on the program POLITICAL HEAT, anchored by Emmanuel Asiegbunam (Mr E on the Mic). You may read the interview via this  link below

http://emmaasieupdates.blogspot.com/2023/08/involve-unions-in-transport-rates.html

ABURE'S SUSPENSION - MY HANDS ARE TIED-Edo State LP Chairman ...... "You cannot renege on an agreement and expect to survive"

ABURE'S SUSPENSION - MY HANDS ARE TIED - EDO STATE LP CHAIRMAN

".... You cannot renege on an agreement and expect to survive"

By Emma Asie ANipr (MR E)

Edo State LP Chairman Comrade Kelly Ogbaloi has accused the party's NWC of reneging on the agreement reached at the Nnewi Congress and reaffirmed that the suspension of the party's national chairman by the Edo state Exco is valid and his hands are tied in preventing or controlling it due to the process and weight of allegations against the chairman.

Comrade Kelly made the reaffirmation during an interview on Political Heat, a radio talkshow on Alpha Radio 106.5fm Nnobi, anchored by Emmanuel Asiegbunam (Mr E on the Mic) 

According to him, the process that led to the suspension was fully constitutional as it started from his ward- Arue Ward 3-  and ratified by the Esan North Local government excos and finally by the state Executive under him. He also stated that the alleged offences of Mr Abure which included inaccessibility, mismanagement of funds and other anti party activities are valid enough to warrant a suspension but noted that suspension is merely an administrative exercise to allow for indepth investigation of the allegations which findings may or may not exonerate the accused. When reminded of his previous support for Abure, comrade Ogbaloi asserted that Julius Abure remains his friend and brother but that this was purely official. In his own words "On a personal level, as a close friend and brother whom I have supported for years most  especially in recent times at the Nnewi Congress and against the opposition of the NLC, I would have tried to stop the suspension, but this is purely official and both the process and  allegations against him were weighty enough to demand that he be suspended to allow for more investigation. If found innocent, of course he will be unconditionally reinstated, there is no big deal about suspension. We have written to the NEC about this. It's left for them to do the needful"

When reminded of the counter allegations by the NWC that his tenure as state chairman expired years ago, Comrade Kelly agreed but accused the Abure led NWC of reneging on the agreement reached at the Nnewi Congress in March. According to him, it was agreed the that he be allowed to continue as state chairman untill after the September gubernatorial election in the state. This is to ensure party stability and confidence by the electorates. However, the NWC had gone ahead to set up a care taker committee for the state, invariably sacking him as state chairman. Hence he could no longer shield the national chairman from the repercussions of the betrayal of his NWC. 

Comrade Ogbaloi insisted however that the party remains strong and united in the state and is poised to win the September governorship election with its formidable candidate Olumide Akpata. Meanwhile there had been reports of a clash between the supporters of Olumide Akpata and Julius Abure at the party's national secretariat over the former s campaign materials and the latter's suspension. 

You may watch the interview on this Facebook link below

https://www.facebook.com/easiegbunam/videos/1674303993317682/?app=fbl