SENIOR Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies, SSAEAC, has dismissed the report recently submitted by the probe panel set up by the former Minister of Power, Professor Barth Nnaji to probe the alleged missing fund in the workers of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, pension fund, otherwise known as the PHCN superannuation fund.

The skill gap in the nation’s economy is evident in the fact that many Nigerians use expatriates from Asia and the neighbouring countries to undertake their technical works in the building, construction and industrial sectors. In this interview, the Director-General of the Industrial Training Fund, ITF, Prof. Longmas Sambo Wapmuk, says his organisation has mapped out the strategy to bridge the gap.

EXECUTIVE Director, Human Resources, 7UP Bottling Company, Mr. Femi Mokikan, has said the only way Pension Fund Administrators, PFAs, can swindle money contributed into Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS, is if the National Pension Commission, PenCom, is not doing its supervisory responsibility effectively.

POWER Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN’s retirees have blamed the Federal Government for both the crisis and the missing fund in the PHCN pension scheme otherwise known as superannuation fund, SF.

What did I do to these people that they have refused to pay me my 18 months pension areas? I suffered for it, I am not asking for what does not belong to me. It is my rightful entitlements. Do they want me to die without enjoying the benefit of my labour?”

PRESIDENT-GENERAL of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, Comrade Anthony Nted, who also is a Vice President of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in this interview with Labour Vanguard, spoke about ports concessioning, terminal operators, and insecurity among others. Excerpts

NIGERIA Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, decried media reports over the subsidy payment where certain allusions were made against it which intended to malign the union, insisting all actions taking regarding the issues of subsidy were done in the interest of members.

THERE are indications that the National Pension Commission, PenCom, will soon come with a definite statement of the two Pension Fund Administrators, PFAs, that failed to meet the N1billion new N1billion minimum capital base.

THERE are fears that the relationship between the Federal Government and Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, may be heading for the rocks over the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu’s alleged anti-labour activities.

INDICATIONS have emerged that National Council on Establishments, NCE, has taken steps to correct its earlier controversial vesting of the authority to regulate Pharmaceutical Technologists and Pharmacy Technicians in the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, PCN, thereby calming industrial restiveness in the health sector.

ON Wednesday, August 29, the meeting between the Federal Government led by Chief Anyim Pius Anyim and organized labour to resolve in the pending labour issues ahead of the planned privatization of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, ended in a deadlock. Besides that, no date has been fixed for the resumption of negotiation.

MARITIME Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, is planning to get an operational license from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to float a micro-finance bank, with not less than N40 million take off capital.

AS the battle against human trafficking, forced and child labour in Nigeria heightens, stakeholders gathered in Lagos, to develop National Referral Mechanism, NRM, for victims for victims to regain their confidence and reintegrate into society through medical help, psychological support, legal assistance, shelter and everyday care, help with her/his migration status and in getting travel documents, protection from the trafficker etc.

Former Minister of Power, Professor Barth Nnaji, and Government spokesperson in the negotiation with workers of Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, Dr. Timiebi Koripamo-Agary, have faulted demand by workers that 25 percent be used in computation of their severance benefits and pensions, saying it is not feasible.

LAGOS Lawyer and counsel to the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, Mr. Bamidele Aturu, has dismissed claims by Government that Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS, which came of the Pension Reform Act of 2004, has invalidated existing defined pension, describing such claims as mere misconceptions and misleading positions.