THISDAYonline

The Congress of Free Trade Union of Nigeria (CFTU), a new third labour centre in the country has called on the Federal Government to engage all trade unions in the public sector in exhaustive negotiations before implementing the proposed contributory pension scheme in the public sector.

The congress made this call at its inaugural press conference in Lagos recently where the interim Secretary, Comrade Didi Adodo admonished Nigerians not to lose hope in the Nigerian project.

The federal government intimated workers in the Nigerian public sector of its intention to embark on pension reform in the country. Government indicated its preference for a contributory pension scheme, which implementation has not commenced while government was yet to unveil modalities for the scheme.

In his 2003 May Day address, President Olusegun Obasanjo said that public sector pension schemes would be contributory, a statement Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Ufot Ekaette was to confirm two months ago.

Previous attempts at reforming the present non-contributory pension system in the public service include the Ajibola Ogunsola committee, which was mandated to harmonise public and private sectors pension schemes. The other one was the Fola Adeola led committee charged with the responsibility of pension reforms in the country. Successive governments were yet to publish white papers on these reports.

Reacting to this development, Adodo called on government to initiate negotiations and dialogue with all industrial unions in the public sector, having something to do with the proposed scheme before implementation to avoid industrial unrest.

"The CFTU hereby call on the government to without further delay take governance seriously by solving the problems that confront the Nigerian people. We calls on government to negotiate with Unions in Public sector over the current issue of pension reform", Adodo stated.

He observed that government needed to put its acts together and give the Nigerian people democracy dividends, which they needed desperately, asking it to embark on road rehabilitation, rejuvenate the economy, repair of refineries and revamping of the educational system.

He as well asked government to pay public sector workers 12.5 percent wage hike while revamping the iron and steel industry and railway system as well as follow due process in the privatisation and commercialisation.

Public servants in the country believing that pension was part of their legitimate benefits in the workplace demanded explanations as to why their salaries and wages would not be harmonised with that of the private sector, the latter was believed to be higher.

Meanwhile public sector senior staffers have been reacting to the development with all of them agreed on adequate negotiations before implementation while insisting on implementation of the controversial 12.5 percent wage hike to ensure that they were not subjected to untold hardships as a result of the compulsory saving scheme.

The Senior Staff Association of Utilities, Statutory Corporations and Government Owned Companies (SSAUSCGOC) asked government to delay implementation of the proposed scheme pending the repeal of existing the Pension Act in the country and suggested a rate of contribution not above 15 percent of their salaries.

The Iron and Steel Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ISSSAN) underscored the need for pay parity with the private sector to make the scheme successful and insisted that its acceptance would depends on whether or not under the new scheme its members would be guaranteed a bumper package devoid of unnecessary delays in payment of pensions.

The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) said it would support the proposed scheme only when assured of proper implementation of the monetisation of fringe benefits project as well as having a proper Board of Trustees to run the scheme.

They as well asked government to tell them what to expect if public sector workers when implementation of the proposed scheme commences while demanding full implementation of the promised 12.5 percent wage hike for the contributory pension scheme to be successful.