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Bimbola Oyesola
Organised Labour has promised that it would not relent in the battle against the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, unless Chief Frank Kokori’s inaugurated as chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).
The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) on Friday, reiterated its determination to join the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in its planned national protest holding today to press home support for the veteran labour leader.
The NUPENG president, Comrade Williams Akporeha, maintained that the union would not accept any other person to be the chairman of the body except Kokori.
He said it was untrue that NUPENG barricaded the minister’s house with loaded petrol tankers, as alleged by the minister, and the workers only went there as they had information that the minister meant to inaugurate the board secretly in his house that morning.
Akporeha noted that it was President Muhammadu Buhari that nominated Kokori to be the chairman of the NSITF and the information came with a letter, adding that, if there was any contrary information, Kokori was supposed to have it the same way he was notified.
He wondered why only Kokori’s NSITF board was left out after three years of nomination as others had since been inaugurated.
The NUPENG president said it was high time Buhari intervened in the matter to ensure sustenance of peace between organised labour and the ministry of labour and employment.
“We can never be ungrateful to him neither can we forget so soon his effort on the implementation of the N30,000 new minimum wage despite barrage of encumbrances it witnessed,” he said.
Akporeha stated that the inauguration of the body at the minister’s residence was wrong and unacceptable to Nigerians, and, in the interest of industrial peace and harmony, Ngige should apologise to organised labour and visit members who are currently in the hospital.
“We also appeal to all our members for calm with the belief that this matter would be amicably resolved within the shortest possible time,” he said.
Akporeha explained why labour was supporting Kokori: “Without fear, showing solidarity with Chief Kokori this time around cannot be said to be out of place under any guise. He is such a man with intimidating and enviable credentials, known for engendering justice, never compromising oil workers’ rights and of stainless integrity, purpose and vision throughout his reign as the general secretary of NUPENG for 17 meritorious years of indelible records, and the entire labour movement benefitted immensely from his efforts.”
He said Kokori should be celebrated because of his role in the struggle for democracy, which made the International Labour Organisation, Amnesty International and labour federations across the globe declare him prisoner of conscience between August 1994 and June 1998.
He added that, “Kokori was in solitary confinement for four consecutive years in the infamous Bama Prison. He was just dumped there with no charges preferred against him by the regime of Abacha. Kokori has a lot to offer Nigeria and he should be given all the support to serve this country.”
Akporeha stressed that, for the peace to reign, the labour minister must, “inaugurate the board of NSITF and make our veteran, Comrade (Chief) Frank Ovie Kokori, the chairman with no further delay and also ensure that the process is not shrouded in secrecy but must be transparent.”
“We also ask all well-meaning Nigerians to speak up on this matter as evil thrives when good people keep silent. What is the special thing or deal that Chief Chris Ngige is hiding from the public, that Chief Frank Kokori would expose if he is inaugurated as chairman of NSITF board?”
