The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the federal government to reverse what it described as illegal diversion of workers’ funds in the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) and to immediately constitute the Governing Board of the National Pension Commission (PENCOM).
The Labour Centre warned that failure to act on its demands will plunge the nation into industrial unrest.
In a communiqué issued at the end of its Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting on Wednesday and signed by the its president, Comrade Joe Ajaero, the NLC accused the government of undermining workers’ rights and dismantling statutory protections for pension and social security funds.
NLC also expressed outrage over reported diversion of 40 percent of workers’ NSITF contributions into government coffers as revenue, describing it as a flagrant violation of the Fund’s establishing laws.
The Congress also condemned alleged moves to amend the NSITF Act to give government full control over the funds, warning that such change would disenfranchise workers and breach international labour standards.
On PENCOM, the NLC said the absence of a legally required governing board had created a governance vacuum, leaving pension funds, regarded as deferred wages under the sole control of government officials without the statutory tripartite oversight of workers, employers and the state.
“The CWC expressed outrage at the ongoing assault on workers’ social protection rights through the Federal Government’s diversion of 40 per cent of workers’ contributions to the national coffers as revenue, in flagrant violation of the statutes establishing the NSITF.
“The CWC warned that these actions represent a direct attack on workers’ rights, hard-earned resources, and the principle of tripartite governance enshrined in international labour standards”, the statement reads in parts.
It added that the NSITF must account for and return all diverted funds within seven working days, adding also that the PENCOM board must be properly constituted in full compliance with the law within seven working days.
If at the end of this seven working days, nothing is done, NLC said it will no longer guarantee industrial peace in the sector.
