Constitution Review: NLC Insists On Retention Of Labour, Minimum Wage On Exclusive Legislative List.
Idris Ahmed, Lokoja.
The Nigerian Labour Congress has urged the National Assembly to retain Labour and the National Minimum Wage on the Exclusive Legislative List as currently maintained under the Second Schedule Part 1 (34) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic Nigeria.
Kogi State Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Onuh Edoka, at a two day review and Public hearing on the constitutional amendment by the House of Representatives committee on constitution review at the North Central Public hearing on Tuesday in Lokoja.
Comr. Edoka also said that the Nigerian workers want the retention of the general administration of pension as currently captured in Section 175 of the 1999 as listed under Second Schedule Part 1 (34) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Kogi State NLC Chairman appealed to the National Assembly to favourably consider the demands for the local government, legislative and judiciary arms of government.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) as a pan Nigerian organization with a history that transcends Nigeria’s independence and pro-people organization is divorced from partisan, ethnic, religious or any other sectional consideration.
On the devolution of powers and socio-economic, cultural and political issues, the labour Union advanced arguments on other matters of national importance, like Local Government Autonomy, Legislative Autonomy, and judicial Autonomy, comprehensive judicial reform, electoral reform, gender equality, revenue allocation, strengthening independence of oversight institutions, residency and indigene provisions, the immunity clause and state creation.
Explaining further on the retention of Labour on the Exclusive legislative list, Edoka maintained that globally, labour matters are governed by international standards as prescribed by the International Labour Organization (ILO).
These international labour standards are adopted by the ILO as Conventions, Recommendations, Protocols and Declarations. Once the ILO adopts any international labour standard, it is demanded of ILO member states through their National Parliaments to ratify and domesticate such standards in their National laws not sub-national or state laws.
Nigeria has been a member of the International Labour Organization since October 17, 1960 and has so far ratified and domesticated through the National Assembly twenty-six ILO Conventions including all eight ILO fundamental Conventions.
Kogi @ 29: NLC Felicitates With KSG, Populace And Calls For Improve Workers Welfare
The eight core conventions of the International Labour Organization regulate pension, industrial relation and labour generally.
“It would, therefore, be anomalous, incongruous and contemptible of global standards and order to even contemplate removing labour from the Exclusive Legislative List.
That would tantamount to renouncing Nigeria’s ratification of extant ILO Conventions and repudiating Nigeria’s membership of the ILO. We are sure such is not the agenda of this noble engagement”, the labour movement maintained.
The union therefore stated that National Minimum Wage a binding international law ratified and domesticated by the action of the National Assembly and which sanctity can only be preserved by its retention in the Exclusive Legislative List.
” Our views on pension. devolution of powers and socio-economic and cultural rights are informed by our traditional values of patriotism, equity, fairness and inclusive national development.
” It is our persuasion that the consideration of our Positions will advance the cause of the downtrodden, workers and the generality of Nigerians and engender a more stable polity for the actualization of the Nigeria of our dreams”, the Labour Union said
