Women in Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, have been charged to carry out porgrammes that would improve the condition of the less-privileged in the society.

Port Harcourt Zonal Chairman of PENGASSAN, Comrade Smart T. Jack, who gave the advise during a meeting of women in PENGASSAN (WIP) Port Harcourt zone, said it had become necessary for women to rise up to the challenges and actively involve in unionism. According to him: “As unionists, they would have the ability to carry out activities that can positively touch the lives of the less-privileged in the society and pledged to support them in actualizing their dreams.”

Speaking, zonal chairperson of WIP, Comrade Ijeoma D. Nwachukwu said the meeting was a follow-up meeting aimed at strategizing “our efforts to meeting set targets and to sensitize our women to wake up to the challenges ahead”.

Comrade Nwachukwu reminded the women that they had been recognized by the national body and given the right to reposition themselves in order to render services.

Meanwhile, a committee has been set up to identify homes in the zone with a view to determing the projects suitable for them.

LCTS union unfolds future plans

Nigeria Labour Congress Transport Company, LCTS, Staff Union, Lagos, has said the non-implementation of minimum wage for the staff of the transport company is one of the challenges facing the union.

In a statement to mark one year in office, Chairmen of LCTS union, Comrade Ibrahim Rasheed, also unfolded the union’s plans for the future. Listing some of the achievements of leadership of the union in the past one, Comrade Abayomi, said, “Opening of the union account.

Building of the office. Formations of a small scale business. Pension scheme for staff. Donation of funds to member who are hospitalized. Bought a television set for the reception. Implementation of annual salary increment. Members benefit from sale of scraps. Union executive in management committee. Equal salary structures for the security and cleaners.”

Comrade Ibrahim explained that the challenges facing the union include inadequate fleet to boost our operations. Inadequate fund to run the union activities.

Non- implementation of minimum wage. Illegal arrest and punitive measures targeting labour buses by the Lagos State Transport Management Authority, LASTMA officials.”

On future plans for the union, he said it includes “ protecting the fundamental rights of the workers. Continuous agitating for more buses from the Congress. To Ensure improved condition of services for the workers.

MINILS DG calls for more funding

The Director General of Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies ( MINILS) in Ilorin Dr John Olanrewaju has expressed the need for the progressive funding of the institute by the federal government in order to match its extensive reach, clients expectations and growing stature.

Dr Olanrewaju who said this during the visit of the minister of labour and productivity Chief Chukwuemeka Wogu to the institute called on the ministry to allocate offices as coordinating centers for programmes in each of the geo-political zones of the country to enhance the institutes national coverage.

He said since inception, of the institute two decades ago, about 20,000 Nigerian workers from both the private and public sectors have benefited from its educational and capacity building activities, adding that,’ we have set for ourselves the target of making the institute a regional centre of excellence for labour education.

He expressed the need for qualitative and responsive labour education that addresses all aspects of Nigerians socio economic and political problems which he noted is not only timely but appropriate. Dr Olanrewaju said this became imperative because a large number of extant labour, employment and factory inspection laws and policies which were fashioned during the military era, have provisions that are not relevant to today’s democratic setting and socio economic realities.

Aside, he added that Nigeria today is also witnessing tremendous transformation through various reforms and the focus on national and international development targets, particularly the vision for the country’s emergence as one of the 20 largest economies in 2020.

Giving the foregoing, he said,’’ it is obvious that comprehensive capacity building for all stakeholders is critical to ensuring lasting industrial peace adding that ministry officers involved in negotiations and other conflict resolution procedures should be sent to participate in the training grogrammes of the institute.

Earlier in his address the minister of Labour and Productivity Chief Chukwuemeka Wogu said his ministry has fashioned out an implementation guideline idea which will be taken to other states of the federation in order to enable them pay the minimum wage salary scale to their workers.

Already,he said federal government has captured the increment of the workers salary in the supplementary budget ,noting that the monetisation too has been approved and it is already in the 2010 budget.

Chief wogu who stated this during his working visist to the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS)in ilorin noted that the federal government is determined to improve on workers welfare across the country.

He said based on the activitie of his ministry it does not discriminate as it is a national ministry which goes round state to give its support for better development of the workforce .

He said the present administration is now yielding to the yearning and aspiration of the workers adding that this was done as a result of the promise President Gooldluk Jonathan made to restore the dignity of labour on assumption of office .

The minister however commended the present management and staff of Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS) under the leadership of The Director General Dr John Olanrewaju for their giant strides in improving the standard and status of the institute particularly as it relate to the development of workers in the country.

He also thanked the management for the wisdom in initiating and executing projects that are relevant to the development of man power and assured them of the support of the ministry at all time in their efforts towards taking the institute to greater height .

In his address, the Director – General of Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS) Dr Niyi Olanrewaju commended the minister for finding out time to visit the institute and see things for himself .

He said the management has set for themselves the target of making the institute a regional centre of excellence for labour education the institute has from inception adding that it has trained about 20,000 workers from both the private and public sectors.

He said despite the institutes achievements it has funding as one of its major challenges adding that there is the need to ensure progressive increase in the funding of the institute to match its extensive reach of client expectations and growing stature .

He also called for the actualisation of the pending amendment of the institutes enabling Act which was passed by the National Assembly during the past administration but was not assented to.