Construction Workers Threaten Strike In Protest Of 30,000 Layoffs

Construction Workers Threaten Strike In Protest Of 30,000 Layoffs....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The Construction and Civil Engineering Senior Staff Association (CCESSA) and the National Union of Civil Engineering Construction Furniture and Wood Workers (NUCECFWW) have threatened to halt work on major roads due to ongoing crises………..CONTINUE READING

Affiliated with the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria and the Nigeria Labour Congress, these unions represent senior and junior staff in the construction industry.

At a news conference on Friday in Abuja, Ayodeji Adeyemo, the National President of CCESSA, and Stephen Okoro, the NUCECFWW President, voiced concerns over the severe challenges facing construction workers.

Adeyemo highlighted that the construction industry is the second-largest employer in Nigeria, after the government. However, he expressed alarm over the significant layoffs within the sector, noting that more than 30,000 workers have already lost their jobs, with another 52,000 at risk if the issues are not addressed.

“If this trend continues, we may have no choice but to stop work on major roads,” Adeyemo warned. The roads affected include those managed by major construction companies like RCC, Setraco, Julius Berger, and Dantata and Sawoe, covering key routes such as Obajana Road, Abuja-Kano Road, Bodo-Bonny Road, East-West Road, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Zaria-Sokoto Road, and Edo-Auchi Road.

Adeyemo emphasized the broader implications of these layoffs, warning, “When you sack people with families and dependents, you are only calling for more insecurity in the country. Nigeria is currently grappling with insecurity, and you can imagine when 52,000 workers are laid off.”

The unions also expressed concern over a dispute between the Federation of Construction Industry (FOCI) and the Minister of Works, which has led to a significant slowdown in the industry. This conflict stems from the unilateral imposition of new standard contract conditions by the Minister, contrary to those approved by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).

Adeyemo explained that this has resulted in widespread job losses among union members and called on the Minister of Works, David Umahi, to provide a bailout for the distressed construction sector rather than escalate conflicts.

“We call on the federal government to resolve the industry’s conflict by involving all stakeholders in contract awards, including the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Works, Council for Regulation of Engineers in Nigeria (COREN), and the Federation of Construction Industry (FOCI),” Adeyemo stated.

The unions issued a 21-day ultimatum for the resolution of the conflict, warning that failure to do so would compel them to initiate industrial actions in the construction industry.

Additionally, the unions called for an end to the widespread banditry, kidnappings, and killings in the country, urging security agencies to ensure the safety of their members and all Nigerians

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