Pensioners warn against registration of new body

James Ojo, Abuja

The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) has warned against any moves to fractionalize the union by legalizing  a  group christened Federal Parastatals and Private Sector Pensioners’ Association of Nigeria (FEPPPAN).

The group had filed an application to the Ministry of Labour and Employment and the Registrar of trade Unions to be registered as a Labour Center.

Led by Chief Temple Ubani and Franklin Erinle, the group accused NUP of neglect and unfair hostile treatment on various issues affecting Federal Pensioners from public and private sectors.

FEPPPAN fresh demanded for immediate registration was hinged on the Nigeria Industrial Court ruling which  dismissed the suit instituted against its registration by the NUP.

But in a communique issued after the meeting of NUP Parastatals and Contributory Pensioners with the national leaders of the union yesterday in Abuja, the NUP kicked against the planned registration of and advised the minister not to allow some disgruntled people to manipulate him to act against the law, but to act according to what the law stipulates.

According to the communiqué, all pensioners, including those asking for a new labour center remain under the umbrella of the NUP, which is the umbrella body of of all pensioners in Nigeria.

Quoting a provision from the Trade Union Act CAP T.14 the union says, “no trade union shall be registered to represent workers or employers in a place where there already exists a trade union.”

The union  therefore called on Dr. Ngige to be wary of all correspondences from and further dealings with the “so-called FEPPPAN.”

The communique read by the Chairman of Communique Drafting Committee, Comrade Emeka Njoku, stated that: “The meeting unanimously agreed on the following: We remain under the umbrella of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) as the umbrella body of all pensioners in Nigeria. 

Njoku said the members of the NUP Parastatals and Contributory Pensioners, dissociate themselves from a move to factionalized NUP and registered illegal group called FEPPPAN.

“We dissociate ourselves from the purported move for registration and membership of illegal body known as Federal Parastatals and Private Sector Association of Nigeria (F EPPPAN).”