By John Ameh
The management of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) finally succumbed to pressure late Wednesday when it agreed to commence implementation of the new national minimum wage from August 2020 without suspension of existing staff welfare packages, a statement from Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU), NHRC Unit Secretariat has stated.
The statement, signed by Comrade Kurugh Jeffrey Bem, Unit Secretary of Employees of NHRC, a government agency with oversight functions on human rights issues, also stated that the union is still pushing “for release/payment of the accumulated Minimum Wage Arrears and Human Rights Protection Allowance.”
Bem also revealed that the management of NHRC also agreed to vacate an injunction it secured at the National Industrial Court against the union and its officials tomorrow, Thursday 16th July, 2020. “Consequent upon this agreement, the planned Industrial Action scheduled to commence on Thursday, 16th July 2020 is hereby suspended indefinitely,” Comrade Bem stated.
Tension at Commission
Prior to the late resolution of the crisis, the Employees of NHRC were poised for a showdown with the management over its alleged refusal to pay them the new N30,000 minimum Wage.
The new minimum wage, which its implementation came into effect since April 2019, had not been enjoyed by employees of the commission as in some other federal government agencies and parastatals.
Findings by National Record indicate that employees of the NHRC had vowed to embark on strike with effect from Thursday, July 16, 2020, to back up their demand for their entitlements.
The workers, led by Comrade Efem Atu, and the management of the commission, under Mr. Tony Ojukwu, were locked in contestation with both sides sticking to their guns, leading to palpable tension.
Although the rights commission’s management was said to have agreed in principle to begin the implementation of the minimum wage payment from August this year, the conditions attached to the proposed payment were said to have been rejected by the workers.
Among others, the NHRC management was said to have proposed to cancel overtime bonuses, Christmas/Sallah bonuses, burial bonuses and wedding bonuses as well as office running cost to be able to conserve funds for the payment.
However, the workers on their part out-rightly rejected the conditions declaring them “unacceptable.”
The action of the NHRC management, the employees insisted, amounted to minimum wage payment with the right hand and minimum wage withdrawal with the left hand, insisting that the NHRC was not sincere in its approach to resolving the dispute.
When contacted on the matter, the Chair of the Nigeria Civil Service Union, NHRC Unit, Mr Efem Atu, had confirmed that his members were not ready for anything other than full payment of the new minimum wage as of right.
He confirmed that the Nasiru Ladan-headed labour committee of the NHRC, had actually come out with conditions to cancel some bonuses, but said that the conditions were nothing but out-right violation of workers’ rights, adding that except the human rights body accedes to their request, the workers will withdraw their services as from July 16.
“We are only waiting for the National Executive Council of our union billed to meet with the NHRC labour committee today (July 15), but I can confirm to you the resolution of our members that anything short of payment of the new minimum wage will not stop our planned industrial action.
“Our matter is pathetic, because it is our organisation that fights for the protection of the rights of other Nigerians, and here we are, unable to fight for our own rights, even on mere minimum wage payment that is a law that came into force since April last year.”
Court Injunction
The Commission had on Tuesday, July 14, 2020, obtained a court order stopping its employees and union members from embarking on the strike
In a motion ex parte with suit number NICN/ABJ/159/2020, the NHRC prayed the National Industrial Court to stop the Nigeria Civil Service Union, the Nigeria Civil Service Union (NHRC unit), the Chairman of the union, Efem Atu; and is Secretary, Kurugh Bem; from embarking on strike.
The NHRC sought three reliefs including an order of interim injunction restraining the respondents, their agents, proxies and affiliates from indefinitely withdrawing their services, shutting down the offices of the NHRC nationwide or embarking on industrial action from Thursday, July 16, 2020. It also sought an interim injunction stopping the respondents from gathering.
Justice E. N. Agbakoba, in granting the ex parte order, stated: “The defendants are hereby restrained by themselves, agents, privies, proxies, affiliates or servants whosoever named deriving authority from them from indefinitely withdrawing their services from the applicant’s offices, shutting down any of the applicant’s offices or embarking on any industrial action of any sort pending the determination of the motion on notice filed by the court.”
The commission, a quasi-independent agency of the federal government, serves as an extra-judicial mechanism for the respect and enjoyment of human rights and provides avenues for public enlightenment, research, and dialogue in order to raise awareness on human rights issues.
