Mohammed Shosanya
President of the Nigeria Labour Congress,NLC,Joe Ajaero,has stepped on toes since he assumed the driver’s seat of the union.
He premised his decision to step on toes on the need to fight the battles of workers in the country.
He is not ashamed of the action because it’s a way of gauging his effectiveness as President of the labour union,Ajaero said these on Wednesday he paid a familiarization visit to the corporate headquarters of Senior Staff Union in Colleges of Education, Nigeria (SSUCOEN) in Abuja.
He lampooned members of the National Assembly, including officials of the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission saying they pay themselves bogus salary and gratuities without having the requisite qualifications.
He said: “I am with you on this. I will not be here and lamenting. We are not ashamed of fighting the battles of our members. Since we came onboard, we have stepped on toes and they are also fighting back. That is how we measure that we are doing well.
“Look at the budget, now that they are leaving office, how much they are paying themselves as gratuity, you will cry. Find out from people in the parliament, some of them don’t have NCE to earn the salary of NCE holders. And the salaries and wages commission, I don’t know how they are operating.
“That’s the most discriminatory organisation. If you check now, some of them are in court because they don’t have either NYSC discharge certificate, or school certificate, and then they are earning millions and billions. So, you now have two policies for the same people, in the same country. It is scandalous. I also think all of us need to show some interest in politics.”
Speaking,President of SSUCOEN President,Danladi Msheliza urged President Muhammadu Buhari, to expedite action on n assent to the bill seeking Amendment of the Act establishing colleges of education in the nation before vacating office.
He said the new bill, if approved, would change the face of colleges of education in the country .
He added:“The Act we are using currently is not only archaic but was promulgated by a decree of 1986 and therefore, it cannot be an act that should be operational in colleges of education in this country. Polytechnics and universities’ Act have been amended.
“Our union took it upon itself, sponsored a bill in 2018 but before the lifespan of the eight Assembly expired, Mr President couldn’t give assent to that bill and we took up the sponsorship of that bill again.
“As I speak to you, that bill is at the Presidency and we have only four days for this current administration’s lifespan to expire. We want you to lend your voice for Mr President to give assent to that bill. If that is done sir, the workers of colleges of education in Nigeria, will be better off. Our system will be better off, and we will be able to fall in line with present day realities.”
