The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige,
disclosed this, Monday, during the budget defence of his ministry and its
parastatals before the House of Representatives Committee on Labour.
According to a statement released by the ministry, Ngige
noted that the training is necessary to acquaint the labour leaders with the
laws guiding trade unionism and trade dispute resolution in the country, along
with the conventions of the International Labour Organisation.
He explained that the mandatory training would also enable
the unions to know the limits of their powers and where the powers of their
employers stop.
The minister maintained that some union leaders were disobeying
his ministry and even the labour laws of the country, because they lacked the
basic training on the laws and their application.
He said, “You know a lot of people who answer labour and
union leaders are not trained in the labour laws of the country including those
who are professors. They disrespect labour laws. They disrespect the labour
ministry, labour committees and everybody.
“So, we want to upgrade MINILS and make it mandatory that
once you are elected as Comrade President or Secretary General or whatever, you
must go there for a course that will last not less than eight weeks, to get
certificated.
“Otherwise, you see people who are educated and
knowledgeable and they are telling you that Section 43 of the Trade Dispute
Act 2004, Laws of the Federation of
Nigeria is not applicable to them or anybody. How do you say that? You are
insulting the parliaments that are making laws.
“You are registered as a union and there is the Trade Union
Act (2005) as amended and yet, you say that it should not apply to you and that
you cannot tender an account of check off dues that you collected. The same
Trade Union Act permits the union to deduct the check off dues from the
salaries of its membership. The same act says that the union must be audited
every year and the audited account submitted to the registrar of trade unions.”
Speaking further, Ngige said, “It is just like the
Independent National Electoral Commission that registers political parties. If
you apply to be registered as a political party, INEC will register you but
will ask you to tender the audited accounts of your party every year. You must
conform as a political party, but if you default, the commission will penalise
you, according to the law. There is no two ways about it.”
He warned that “a labour leader who attended the university
but lacks small knowledge of the laws guiding trade unionism is a dangerous
person to the society.”
He added that besides training labour leaders, the African
ILO, having heard much about MINILS, designated it as an institute where other
West African countries could come, pay fees and get Nigerian certification.
He consequently appealed to the National Assembly to
consider the institute for special intervention fund so that the place could be
upgraded.
The permanent secretary of the ministry, Ms. Daju Kachollon,
other top management staff and heads of parastatals also attended the budget
defence.