The FCT Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Wednesday, in Abuja,  issued certificates to its members who underwent training in industrial bargaining and negotiations. Mr Zakari Adams, Chairman of the Abuja Chapter while presenting the certificates said the training became necessary following the increasing spate of disillusionment with various government policies that would “adversely” affect workers.

“The training will also enhance workers’ ability to grasp what is expected of them as workers and their role in moving the nation forward,’’ he said.

“With the education of our members, we intend to achieve a lot because we believe that if you have an enlightened followership, the job is easier for you than when you have an ignorant followership which makes the job hectic for you”. “There is an important need for workers to be given some rudiments of education of what is expected of them in their work places”.

“Again, even when there is an emerging issue, they should be able to know how to go about it, the protocols involved in going about demanding for their rights.

Without education, they won’t be able to know this and we think it is imperative that they have this workshop,’’Adams said. Adams also called on government to expedite action on the proposed national minimum wage, urging the committee set up by government to come up with what Nigerians desired so as to motivate the workers.  He asked the FCT administration to hasten the payment of rent arrears owed teachers and the completion of outstanding 50 per cent monetisation arrears for workers. “You know that the issue of monetisation arrears is still there while some workers have got the 50 per cent last year, they are yet to receive the balance of 50 per cent even when we have been told by the government that this had been captured in the 2010 budget”.

“It is our ardent hope too that as soon as the budget is assented to and made operational,these arrears will be paid to the workers in the interest of industrial harmony” he added.