Happenings

Adolf Hitler labelled the extermination of the Jews in Europe, '' the final solution'', while the military dictatorship in Argentina which embarked on an unprecedented killing of its citizens code named same ''The process of National Integration''.

The activities of insurgents and armed  herdsmen which have claimed thousands of livers are similar to the above mentioned/

Between 1976 and 1983 millions of citizens lost their lives in Argentina. Death squads operating under secret circumstance and the cover of the state murdered about 11, 000 people, which are now described as ''The Disappeared''.

Two million people escaped persecution, while hundreds of babies born to ''The Disappeared'', were either sold, bartered or murdered.

Indeed, happenings in several states of Nigeria, including Benue, Taraba, Plateau, Kogi, Nasarawa and Kaduna, indicate that government is fully aware of the insecurity, even as the killings continue. This calls for concern.

On March, 23, 1976, General Jourge Videla, Head of the Argentine Army overthrew the government of Isabelita Peron, a former night club dancer. No civilian government had completed its tenure, excerpt for Juan Peron's first term in office.

General Videla hinged his action on the chronic inflation and high rate of unemployment that trailed Isabelita's government.

However, in Nigeria, a retired Army General calls the shots, even though the country still experiences symptoms of economic recession, mass unemployment, corruption and insecurity.

The Ejecrcito Revolcionario del Pueblo(ERP) and the Montotneros, took to kidnapping and killings. This plunged Argentina into crisis, in Nigeria, kidnapping and killings have gone on unabated. Political pundits put the blame at the door step of the present administration.

Nigerians are worried that the government has done nothing noticeable to ensure that the country does not slip into anarchy.

In 2009, the Defense Minister of Madagascar, Cecile Manorantha resigned  her appointment on the grounds that she  would not continue to be a part of a government that kills its people.

Also, the people of Madagascar vigorously opposed the attempts by President Marc Ravalomanana to lease one million acres of their land in the South of the country to a Korean firm, Daewoo for intensive farming/ The people have deep ties with their land and consequently view the President's action as a betrayal.

The same scenario is playing out in Nigeria.

The insecurity in the land has made foreign investment impossible, while  the disenfranchised and poor majority look in the gloomy future for reprieve.

The recently suspended nationwide strike action embarked upon by health workers in Nigeria has exposed how the Federal Government has destroyed the essence of trade unionism in the country.

Some days before the strike was called off, the management of the University College Hospital(UCH) Ibadan, had issued a circular directing all workers in the hospital to resume within 48 hours or risk dismissal. This, it was gathered, was with the knowledge of some union leaders in the hospital.

Indeed, workers in Nigeria have for long called to question the sincerity of their union leaders, in representing their interests, transparently.

Not long ago, Non Academic Staff in Nigerian universities suspended their industrial action.

According to the Chairman of the University of Ibadan, branch of the Non Academic Staff of Union, Comrade Oluwasegun Arojo, although the government threatened to invoke the ''No work No Pay rule'', the workers were paid for the duration they were on strike.

''Government was threatening not to pay us, but after the whole threats, the matter was resolved amicably. And government decided to pay our members for all the period that they downed tools. Even though our major demands have not been met, we hope that the government will change its style of leadership and do the needful'', Comrade Arojo disclosed.

Interestingly, a circular issued by the Head of Hospital Administration, Dr. J.O Amedu, for the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, announced that all salaries would not be paid to those who embarked on strike. The circular referred to the provision of section 43 of the Trade Dispute Act CAP 18, Law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and  International Labour Organization's principles concerning employers' rights during strike in essential services, to justify its action.

However, the National Coordinator of the All Workers Convergence(AWC)Comrade Andrew Emelieze opines that workers have the right to go on strike.

''To the issue of the pronouncement that workers' salaries, who went on strike would not be paid for the period that the strike lasted, this is an aberration, more of an abnormality, especially when the labour act allows for legitimate strikes been a tool for negotiation. Workers have the right to get paid. Even in line with the International Labour Organization's position, strikes are legitimate, it is a legal tool to make demands and encourage productivity''.

''Hence, as such workers pay within that period is guaranteed. More so, government was the cause of the strike and should be held accountable for all the shortcomings concerning the lock out, whereby government refused to meet the demands of the workers, thereby making it impossible for them to be at work. On this note, government must pay their salaries or else government should be ready for another dispute'', Comrade Emelieze concluded.

Interestingly, workers of the UCH, Ibadan are yet to be paid for April and May, according to the  Chairman Joint Health Sector Union(JOHESU) of the hospital, Comrade Olusegun  Sotiloye.

''The circular issued by the UCH management was not enough to scare us, right now we are yet to receive the April and May salaries, while we wait patiently for the intervention of the Senate President, as he promised. Workers should remain calm, while we wait for the dividends of the strike'',.Comrade Sotiloye stated.

Sadly, health workers in Oyo state insist that thy are at a lose, over why the strike was suspended. 

''We have a number of demands that are yet to be met by the Oyo state Government, and yet we are back to work'', they lamented.

They also argue that their union leaders have been compromised by the state  government, that was why there has not been an headway in the agitation for their demands to be met.

''The routine is becoming monotonous, our leaders will call us out on strike and after sometime, such strikes are suspended, without meeting our demands. If Nigerians are saying our leaders have been compromised, they are correct'', the workers speaking incognito revealed.

However, an attempt to get the response of the JOHESU Chairperson, Comrade R.A. Afonja met a brick wall at the unions secretariat at Yemetu, in Ibadan, as the Chairperson's response was '' is it by force to speak, please excuse us''.

The coming days and weeks, would only serve to outline how the some officials of the present administration and union leaders in the country have systematically destroyed trade unionism and hope for an improved and efficient workforce. 

The All Workers Coverngence(AWC) has declared that the Federal Government does not have any intention to increase workers' salaries.

The AWC made this declaration through its National Coordinator, Comrade Andrew Emelieze, in a chat with People.

''It is a delibrate attempt to dash the hopes of the Nigerian workers, who have been underpaid in the past years. And so it is as if, it is also a delibrate attempt to deceive the Nigerian workers, having continually promised since last year, ever since the committee was set up and the promise that the new minimmage will see the light of the day in Septmber, for government to now say it is no longer possible, confirms the fact that government is deceiving the workers and it is the most irresponsible thing to do''.

''In the light of this, the AWC, is calling for immediate radical action from the Trade Union Congress(TUC) and the Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC),  the two unions should  as a matter of urgency, confront this pronouncement with a nationwide strike action, as this remains the only therapy that can help workers in the struggle for a new antional minimum wage '', Comrade Emelieze stated.

The Minister of Labour, Dr. Chris Nigige, has a few days ago, disclosed that by September, the committee on new antional minimum wage would be submitting its report, and as a result the implementation would be moved forward.

Training and Retraining of Workers : Oyo Govt Has not Done Enough for us-Chairman JNC

Similarly, the Chairman of the Trade Union Congress(TUC), who also doubles as the Chairman Joint Negotiation Council(JNC) in the state, Comrade Emmanuel Ogundiran, has disclosed that the state government has not done enough in the area of training and retraining of the state's workforce in the last seven years.

''Training and retraining that could have improved our productivity  has been embargoed. This is not good for the workers. However, the state government is trying its best in the payment of salaries, we are only been owed for May, as at now, the government has the will to pay. But in the area of facelift to our work environment, government started well, the Governor's office is a sight to behold, but same cannot be said of our offices'', Comrade Ogundiran noted.

Senior staff of Nigerian universities have expressed reservations over the release of N1.3 billion out of N8 billion the Federal Government agreed to pay as earned allowances to only the academic staff of the University of Ilorin and the University of Nigeria Nsukka(UNN).

The position of the university workers was made known by the Vice President of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities(SSANU)Western zone, Comrade Alfred Jimoh.

''The information of the release of the allowances to the academic staff of the University of Ilorin and University of Nigeria Nsukka, has got to us. The truth of the matter, is that we have not heared anything about the release of non academic staff allowances. N1.3 billion was released to ASUU, out of N8 billion. The Federal Government has taken care of ASUU and left us in the cold. Government ought to be sensitive enough to take care of us and not the ancillary staff'', Comrade Jimoh concluded.

In the same vein, Chairman of the Non Academic Staff Union(NASU)University of Ibadan branch, Comrade Oluwasegun Arojo has expressed hopes that government would soon release the allowances of the non academic staff.

''We are hopeful that anytime soon, our portion will be released, how soon the money will be released, nobody can tell. We are patiently waiting for government to do the needful'', Comrade Arojo stated.

The Tanzanian Government has assured that it will recruit 10, 140 Teachers by June this year.

The government gave this assurance through Deputy Minister of state in the President's office(Regional Administration and Local Government)Mr. Joseph Kakunda, when he appeared before the Parliament.

''These will be employed, come June this year'', Mr. Kakunda assured.

Mr. Kakunda also disclosed that the certificates of those shorlisted was presently been screened by the National Examination Council of Tanzania(NECTA).

Nigerians have been advised to accept the statement of the Comptroller General of Customs as a wake up call  to reject bad governance.

This advise was given in a chat with Federationews2day, by the National Coordinator of the All Workers Convergence(AWC), Comrade Andrew Emelieze.

''It is actually a wake up call to Nigerians in all fields of endeavour, that we can say that we are actually lazy because we have been tolerating bad governance, agelong misrule, corruption, incompetence, terrorism and so Nigerians must rise up to  prove that we are not lazy, by resisting to tolerate bad governance again,'' Comrade Emelieze stated.

In his views the Public Relations Officer(PRO) OF Association of Water Well Drilling Rig Owners and Practitioners(AWDROP), Mr. Richrad Adeyinka insists that Nigerians are not lazy.

''Nigerians are not lazy, go to the streets, thousands of those who graduate each year, don't have jobs, I know that Nigerians are not lazy, if they are they will not take to commercial motorcycling(Okada) to keep body and soul together'', Mr. Adeyinka disclosed.

For Messrs Edmund  Ogboh and Ifeanyichukwu, both Ibadan based businessmen, the Federal Government should create more jobs for millions of Nigerians who are without jobs. ''If government creates more jobs there would be a reduction in crime and  a change of mind by those considered to be lazy'', they emphasized.