.. appeal to govt for bailout to distressed construction sector
to declare industrial action if FG,Federation of Construction Industry, stakeholders fail to resolve differences within 21 days
By Joseph Erunke, Abuja
The Construction and Civil Engineering Senior Staff Association,CCESSA, and the National Union of Civil Engineering Construction Furniture and Wood Workers,NUCECFWW,both affiliates of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria,TUC and the Nigeria Labour Congress,NLC,disclosed yesterday that over 52,000 construction and furniture workers have lost their jobs in the past one year.
The two unions respectively ,are representing the senior and junior staff in the construction and furniture industry.
The unions which attributed the development to total slowdown in the industry due to disagreement between the contractors handling various civil construction projects for the federal government and the Federal Ministry of Works as a result of unilateral imposition of new standard conditions of contracts by the minister, appealed to the government for a bailout to the distressed construction sector.
National President of CCESSA,Comrade Engr. Ayodeji Adeyemo and the National President of NUCECFWW, Comrade Stephen Okoro,at a joint press conference in Abuja, said the unilateral imposition of new standard conditions of contracts by the Minister of Works,Engr. David Umahi,was contrary to the existing conditions as approved by the Bureau of Public Procurement,BPP.
A joint text of the media conference,read to newsmen, said:The construction industry as you are aware is the second largest employer of labour in Nigeria after the Government, but with the recent development in the industry, we deem it necessary to let the world know of our plight in order to avoid a total collapse of an already distressed sector.
This joint press release is to alert and inform the appropriate quarters and the public at large of the developments in the construction industry and the subsequent effects.
Today, there is a total slowdown in the industry due to disagreement between the contractors handling various civil construction projects for the Federal Government and the Ministry of Works as a result of unilateral imposition of new standard conditions of contracts by the Minister, contrary to the existing conditions as approved by the Bureau of public procurement (BPP).
This has affected employment in the industry, leading to mass sack of Nigerian workers who are members of our unions.
This is in contrast to the Renew Hope Agenda of the present regime of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The unions said,Currently ,we have lost over fifty percent of our members as a result of the disagreement; this situation is bound to further increase poverty and insecurity that the country is grappling with.
We are using this medium to appeal to the Honourable Minister of Works that what is needed now is a form of bail out to a distressed construction sector rather than any form of conflict.
The two unions are also concerned about the effect of a prolong unresolved conflict on investor confidence in the stability of the countrys business environment. Moreover, the Federal Government should as a matter of urgency come up with a clear policy of strict adherence to payment terms,the prepared text read by the union leaders said.
Arising from the foregoing, the unions called on the federal government to among others,mmediately resolve the conflict in the industry by involving all stakeholders in contract awards like Bureau of Public procurement (BPP), Ministry of Justice, Ministry of works, Council for Regulation of Engineers in Nigeria (COREN), Federation of Construction Industry (FOCI);put an end to banditry, kidnappings and killings that have been going on in the country, and ensure the safety of our members and all Nigerians in any part of the country.
Besides,they tasked the government to curb inflation that makes the meagre salary of workers worthless as regards its purchasing power.
The cost of commodities in the market has constantly been on the rise with workers salary depreciating in value. Government should do more to stabilize the economy,they added.
The unions insisted that government must device means of stabilizing the Naira against foreign currencies and encourage local productions and consumptions.
Finally,we urge the Minister of Works; the Federation of Construction Industry (FOCI) and all concerned to amicably resolve the current conflict within twenty one days. Otherwise, the two unions will be compelled to declare industrial actions in the construction industry in Nigeria to address these issues to prevent further lose of jobs of our members,the two unions warned.
