NCSU Calls For Review Of Pension Act

The Nigeria Civil Service Union has called on the Federal Government to make neccesary amendments of the pension Act 2014 to protect the interest of workers and pensioners in the area of gratuity payment.

This call was contained in a communique issued at end of the National Executive Council meeting held on Wednesday, 29th September, 2021 at the Green Minds Hotels, Cadastral Zone, Ekukinam Street, Utako, Abuja.

The NEC meeting expressed very strong reservation on the contributory pension scheme across the country which requires urgent correction

The communique which was jointly signed by the National President Comrade Chief Lawrence Uchechukwu Amaechi and the General Secretary, Comrade Bomoi Mohammed lbraheem, expressed sadness over lack of political will of Federal and State governments to deploy neccesary fund to defray their own share of the contribution let alone to remit appropriately to accredited pension funds Administrator in order not to entrap the lives of pensioners into early graves without enjoying the fruits of their Labour.

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The meeting “condemned in strongest terms the refusal of Government/ employers in the Public Service to pay gratuity to retirees under this scheme, a decision that has caused the death of many pensioners and made others destitute.”

The NEC meeting strongly advocated for the deployment of internal dispute resolution and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms to resolve both inter and intra union crises among Trade and within unions, in order to consolidate on the strength and unity of Trade Union movement in Nigeria.

The communique considered the threatening dimensions of high level of insecurity on the Nigeria unity and the aftermath on food security in the country.

NEC expressed very serious pains over the security challenges which has neccessitated scarcity and skyrocketed in the prices of goods and services beyond the reach of vulnerable Nigerians.

“Federal and State governments have been advised to form strong synergy with traditional rulers and community leaders so as to tame the tide of security threat to the unity and economic sustainability of the country and put a stop to killings of innocent souls, kidnappings, ritual killings, abduction, banditry among others.”

The communique submitted on the silent thought of the federal government to increase electricity tariff, the NEC meeting supported the position of Nigeria Labour Congress leadership that “should the Federal Government make true the swirling speculation by approving an increase in electricity tariff, organized Labour would be left with no other option than to deploy the industrial mechanisms granted on our laws for the defence of workers rights”

On the age long jurisdictional scope between the NCSU with ASCSN and other industrial unions, the NEC in session mandated the National leadership of Nigeria Civil Service Union to liaise with the National leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress to immediately put an end to unnecessary poaching of Union members as a result of uncharitable age long attempt to cause disruption in the process of action to voluntarily belong to one choice Union as provided for in section 40 of the 1999 constitution of Nigeria as amended and corroborated in the 2005 Trade Union Amendment Act as amended which allowed for voluntary membership of any Union.

On trade Union education to Trade Union leaders and members, the NEC in session adopted policy position on education that will ensure regular training and retraining of Trade Union leadership at all levels of the Trade Union Organs due to the new trends on Trade Union administration, ensure sustainable policy formulation and implementation for the Union.

On the forthcoming Nigeria Civil Service Union National Delegates Conference, the NEC in session approved 25th January 2022 as the date for the forthcoming National Delegates Conference in line with Rule 7 (sections a-j) of the Nigeria Civil Service Union constitution as amended.

Flowing from the above, the NEC in session passed a vote of explicit confidence on the National leadership of the Union and empowered Comrade Chief Lawrence Uchechukwu Amaechi JP to superintend over the conduct of the National Delegates Conference of Nigeria Civil Service Union scheduled to hold on 25th January 2022 while all contestants were admonished to play the game according to the rules without any personal acrimony or actions that can plunge the Union into avoidable crisis in whatever form.