There were serious and persistent complaints by stakeholders against the abolition of gratuity under the PRA 2004. The issues was extensively discussed and there was consensus among stakeholders that a provision should be inserted in the PRA that would allow the employer and the employees to agree, through collective bargaining, on payment of additional benefits upon retirement or cessation of employment. The amendment in the 2013 Bill seeks to address this agitation of labour for a provision on gratuity in addition to the pension.

ORGANISED Labour in Delta State, has reaffirmed the validity of the Memorandum of Understanding,MOU, reached in April 2013 with the management of the state Direct Labour Agency, DLA, and Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees, AUPCTRE, unit of the agency on some labour issues.

RECENTLY, employers in Nigeria, under the umbrella of Nigeria Employers Consultative Association, NECA, gathered in Lagos, at its 56th Annual General Meeting, AGM, to review socio-economic and political environment in the country in the last one year and as the impact on business operations.

AP Moller Terminals,APMT,the largest container terminal in West Africa, has apologized to the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN and its President-General, Nted Emmanuel Anthony, over recent uncomplimentary press remarks.

The PRA 2004 provides for the payment of a Minimum Pension Guarantee (MPG) to RSA holders who have contributed for a number of years under the CPS. However, the Act did not make provision for the funding of the MPG. Accordingly, the PRA 20013 Bill provides for the establishment of a Pension Protection Fund (PPF) which would be used as part-funding for the MPG as well as compensation to pensioners in the unlikely event of financial losses sustained from investment of pension funds. The PPF will be funded through grants and contributions by the Commission and pension operators.