NLC grounds operations at CAC over alleged anti workers’ policies

THE Nigeria Labour Congress, yesterday, staged a protest at the headquarters of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) headquarters in Abuja against what it termed the “anti-workers’ policies” of the management of the commission.

The protest, which was led by the President of the NLC, Comrade Ayuba Waba, alongside other executives and members of the union, was staged against the decision of the CAC leadership to clamp down on union members who challenged the anti-workers policies.

NLC specifically alleged that the Registrar-General of the commission, Garba Abubakar, is planning to punish workers who have been vociferous in their condemnation of the anti-workers policies.

The union members barricaded the gate of the commission to prevent workers from gaining entry into its  premises.

Speaking on behalf of the workers during the protest in Abuja, Wabba claimed that the management of CAC used about N396m to build a car park and carry out functions without proper accountability.

Wabba also said Abubakar hindered staff promotion and brought in environmental experts to fumigate the agency for N35 million in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The labour leader added that the commission boss also  gave contract to someone to paint the Zone 5 annex office for N25 million.

He further alleged that the CAC boss had forcefully transferred married female workers out of Abuja to the detriment of their various families.

Wabba said, “All the female workers with their husbands who are working here, he (Abubakar) transferred them away and left their husbands here causing problems in their various homes.

“We are here to make the point and to ensure that workers’ rights are not meant to be trampled upon. The fundamental issue is not about unionization; no!

“It is about respecting workers’ rights. It is not about the issue of membership but about defending the workers’ rights.”

The NLC president said the protest would linger for three days until the CAC boss speaks on the allegations against the commission’s management.

He said, “We will be here for three days. He should come out to address workers because we have raised some fundamental issues of how he used N250m to build a car pack.

“Also, how he used N35m to fumigate an office in Zone 5; he used N25m to paint the office, while N86m was used to upgrade CAC server. These are why he is afraid because the union has exposed him.”

Wabba added, “This is why he is fighting the unions. So we are saying, we have raised these issues openly, let him come out and defend himself.

“He is not fighting the union because of membership but because the unions have exposed him.”

During the protest, some thugs attempted to burn NLC vehicles parked in front of the commission by pouring petrol on the vehicles, but this was halted by the police.

Meanwhile, it was gathered that some Trade Union Congress (TUC) affiliates were not on the same page with the NLC over the protest, which led to a clash between members of both unions.

TUC had on Tuesday held a news conference, warning that they would resist protest by the NLC, but the latter stated that it would not renege on its plans to demonstrate against CAC for three days.

Reacting to the protest by NLC, an official in the press unit of CAC, Rasheed Mahe, said that the labour union was trying to violate the ruling of an industrial court.

He said, “The issue revolves around the judgement of the industrial court and the NLC is trying to violate that judgement.”

He added that the industrial court had ruled that the junior staff union, which is an affiliate of NLC, could not unionise the senior staff of CAC.

“And so the management of CAC now implemented that judgement in December 2019 and in May 2020, which is in line with the Labour Act of 2005 and 2005.”