Protocols
I sincerely wish to welcome you all to the Nigeria Labour Congress 2012 Rain School. I welcome His Excellency Mr. Godswill Akpabio the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, and members of the State Executive Council here present and other members of the Governor’s entourage to this opening session.
I am quite delighted that our international guests have kept to the commitment of solidarity with us by identifying with our programmes with their presence here. I commend them for leaving their other engagements and home countries to be with us.
For me, it is once again a privilege to be here with you at this year's 2012 Rain School, the 20th in the series of NLC National Schools, with the theme; Labour, Popular Power and the Quest for a New Nigeria.
The 2012 Rain School theme is apt given the current challenges that threaten the unity of the nation. Today, rather than integrating into a cohesive community with a common sense of national identity and destiny, citizens of Nigeria are returning more to primordial affiliations for identity, loyalty and security. Instead of forging a united front and presenting a concerted effort to face the challenges of development in an increasingly competitive and globalized world, Nigerians are busy waging ethnic and religious wars, struggling for the control of resources, struggling for the control of religious territories. While the ruling class engrosses itself with obsessed struggle for primitive accumulation, the masses struggle with doses of poverty, deprivation and frustration, as well as diverse problems of basic survival such as food, housing, water, sanitation and security.
The 2012 Rain School is aimed at providing training for the participants who are from the affiliate unions and state councils of the NLC so that they can be equipped and prepared with the necessary skills and knowledge that would empower them to be more productive in order to contribute to building a stronger economy that is capable of improving the standards of living and alleviate the poverty situation in Nigeria. The School is also focused to equip them in organising for better improvement in working conditions and to face the challenges of national unity posed by recurring violence in the country.
It is the belief of the Congress that members of affiliates should be exposed to thorough intellectual training through education programmes and forums like the Rain School so that they can be emotionally and intellectually prepared to enable them face the challenges of building a strong economy. Conscious of the fact that no nation grows without first growing knowledge of the citizens, the NLC is making deliberate effort in making education of its members a cardinal priority and a cornerstone of its policies towards building a strong human resource base that can defend its members and also contribute immensely to building a vibrant economy for the nation where everybody can benefit.
In addition to forums like the Rain School, Congress also has another National School called Harmattan School, which holds in the northern part of the country in the month of November every year. The School provides similar training like Rain School. Congress equally runs State Level Schools which hold in the 36 States of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory for ten weeks every year since its commencement in 2005. The State Level School mainly provides training for trade union leaders and union activists at the state levels. The modules of the State Level School are designed in such a way as to prepare the activists and trade union leaders at the State level with skills and knowledge in order to prepare them to face the challenges of defending their members and also to contribute to the development of their States. The Congress will not relent, but continue to carry out those programmes and training that impact positively on the working class and the society, in general.
The NLC condemns in very strong terms the continuous bombings and killings in the nation, most especially, the recent massacre that took place in Plateau State. The Congress calls on those in government and the security agencies to rise up to the occasion by defending the lives and property of Nigerians and foreigners alike. These incessant violence and general insecurity, which are engendering fear and restlessness in the citizenry is taking a negative dimension and is inimical to growth and development, as no nation can grow in a chaotic and anarchical situation.
As part of its contribution to the process of peace building, the Congress intends to organise a Peace Conference sometimes in September, 2012. The Conference will create a platform for stakeholders to come together face to face and take head on the issue of the nation's security and possibly come out with suggestion that can endear lasting solutions that can bring back smiles on the faces of our dear people of Nigeria.
We recall that in the past, the Congress had held a similar conference on the Niger-Delta militancy and today the insurgency has reduced and amnesty has been granted and there is relative peace in the region. We urge all progressive organisations to add voice for the need for peace and stability in the country.
At this Rain School, we shall have the opportunity to take a hard look at the January mass protests and general strike against deregulation of the downstream sector of the oil industry which translated into unprecedented increase in the price of fuel, particularly Premium Motor Spirit (PMS). Throughout the eight-day strike, the gallant and unrelenting forces of the working people led by the labour movement and mass organisations rose up as one and galvanised the Nigerian people into action to check the excessiveness of a reckless and corrupt ruling class.
The outcome of that historic protest is there for all to see. There have been mindboggling revelations of theft, fraud and rapacious greed. Thus, Congress is uncomfortable and worried at the way and manner the Federal Government is handling the report of the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee that probed the Petroleum Subsidy regime, which was an attempt to sanities the oil sector. Despite the ongoing drama between the Chairman of the Committee, Honourable Farouk Lawan and Mr. Femi Oteloda, we reiterate our call on the Federal Government to expedite action on the implementation of the report and reports of other committees set up on the oil subsidy rip-off in order to bring those found guilty to justice.
We look with optimism the appointment of the new Chief Justice of Nigeria ( CJN), Justice Aloma Muktar. Her antecedents in the Judiciary gives us hope for a better, and improved people-driven Judicial system. With a background of fearlessness and incorruptibility, we hope the new Chief Justice will be capable of conducting credible reforms in the Judicial arm of government to the yearnings and aspiration of the Nigerian people who have been clamouring and advocating for reforms that will ensure justice and fairness to all as well as positively impact on our collective desire for a corrupt-free society.
We commend President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan for appointing Justice Muktar, the first woman CJN in the history of our country. This remarkable gesture has demonstrated Mr. President's commitment to the delivery of quality governance and merit-driven justice system.
Another issue of importance and of critical concern to the working class in Nigeria is the issue of the implementation of the new National minimum wage. We must particularly commend His Excellency, the Governor of Akwa Ibom, Chief Godwin Akpabio for keeping faith with the minimum wage implementation.
Comrades, Ladies and Gentlemen, it is worthy to mention at this platform that a significant high point was made in the annals of the country's history. On Saturday July 14, 2012, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the immediate past President of the NLC, despite all odds, trounced his opponents by a landslide victory to be returned elected as the Governor of Edo State. Comrade Oshiomhole did not only win the overall vote cast, but overwhelmingly won in all the Local Government Areas in Edo State.
For all those who followed the trauma and tragic events during the campaign, the victory resulted from the resoluteness of the Comrade Governor, workers and other patriotic Nigerians, as well as the determination of the good people of Edo State to ensure he continued in office as Governor. This victory is not only a triumph for the people of Edo State, but a demonstration of working peoples power, and a significant milestone for democracy in our country. A true testimony to performance, dynamism, truth and justice in governance.
For this victory, let us commend the security agencies for not interfering in the process, but ensuring protection of lives and property of the people for them to freely express themselves at the polls.
Of course this victory will not be complete if we do not acknowledge the significant role played by President Jonathan. He did not only keep to his word of guaranteeing a free and fair election, but added voice to the "One man, One Vote" campaign slogan of Comrade Oshiomhole.
Mr. President was also among the first to congratulate Comrade Oshiomhole, a few hours after declaration of the results against the grain of his party candidate who lost at the election. This singular remarkable demonstration of statesmanship, deserves commendation.
At the international level, the NLC is worried by the turn of events in Mali and the persistent conflict between Sudan and Southern Sudan, and if urgent steps are not taken by the international community to put in place measures that would curtail these crises and the proliferation of arms , a new threat is hanging on the entire continent of Africa, which is already reeling from extremist violence and organized crimes. We urge the international community to hasten and come to the aid of Malians with sustainable support that would bring lasting peace and democracy in that country.
Finally, I wish to sincerely thank the affiliate unions of the NLC, invited guests and our international sister labour organizations and their institutions for solidarising with us by attending our programmes. I also want to commend the National Secretariat of the NLC, and in particular, the Education Department for the efforts put into making sure that, the 2012 Rain School is a success.
Our commendation also goes to our team of Facilitators drawn from the affiliate unions for their commitment and efforts in making sure that the educational activities of Congress are sustained, improved upon and implemented.
To the Government and people of Akwa-Ibom State, we express our appreciation for playing host to the fourth Rain School to be hosted in the state, and we look forward to your continued support.
Finally, we wish to express our profound appreciation to our Partners, the Canadian Labour Congress, Friedrich Ebert Foundation, TrustFund Pensions PLC, Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies and the American Centre for International Labour Solidarity, for their support and solidarity in sustaining the School. We highly appreciate your continued partnership.
Thank you for your attention.
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