The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the federal authorities to reverse what it described as unlawful diversion of staff’ funds within the Nigeria Social Insurance coverage Belief Fund (NSITF) and to instantly represent the Governing Board of the Nationwide Pension Fee (PENCOM).
The Labour Centre warned that failure to behave on its calls for will plunge the nation into industrial unrest.
In a communiqué issued on the finish of its Central Working Committee (CWC) assembly on Wednesday and signed by the its president, Comrade Joe Ajaero, the NLC accused the federal government of undermining staff’ rights and dismantling statutory protections for pension and social safety funds.
NLC additionally expressed outrage over reported diversion of 40 p.c of staff’ NSITF contributions into authorities coffers as income, describing it as a flagrant violation of the Fund’s establishing legal guidelines.
The Congress additionally condemned alleged strikes to amend the NSITF Act to present authorities full management over the funds, warning that such change would disenfranchise staff and breach worldwide labour requirements.
On PENCOM, the NLC mentioned the absence of a legally required governing board had created a governance vacuum, leaving pension funds, considered deferred wages underneath the only management of presidency officers with out the statutory tripartite oversight of staff, employers and the state.
“The CWC expressed outrage on the ongoing assault on staff’ social safety rights via the Federal Authorities’s diversion of 40 per cent of staff’ contributions to the nationwide coffers as income, in flagrant violation of the statutes establishing the NSITF.
“The CWC warned that these actions signify a direct assault on staff’ rights, hard-earned sources, and the precept of tripartite governance enshrined in worldwide labour requirements”, the assertion reads in components.
It added that the NSITF should account for and return all diverted funds inside seven working days, including additionally that the PENCOM board should be correctly constituted in full compliance with the regulation inside seven working days.
If on the finish of this seven working days, nothing is completed, NLC mentioned it’s going to now not assure industrial peace within the sector.
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