Wednesday 20 March 2013

JAF DECLARES SUPPORT FOR APRIL 10TH MASS PROTEST

IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE NLC & PENSIONERS!
PRESS STATEMENT
1.    The Joint Action Front (JAF), rising from a Special Meeting of its Affiliates held on Sunday, March 17th 2013 welcomed the decision of the Central Working Committee of the Nigeria Labour Congress held on March 12th 2013 to hold a PROTEST MARCH on April 10th 2013 to the Presidency and State Government houses; to demand justice for pensioners being owed billions of arrears of pensions.
2.    It should be recalled that JAF had a month ago demanded that Labour should revisit the issue of pension management, following the ridiculous sentence of 2 years imprisonment with an option of N750,000 fine given to a former director of the Police Pensions Board, John Yakubu Yusufu, after he pleaded guilty to charges of stealing N23.3 billion from pension fund.
3.    Also, JAF noted in its previous statement that “governments at all levels in Nigeria, irrespective of the political parties, are entrenched in corrupt atrocities, hence our resolve to the struggle for SYSTEM CHANGE as the only way to rid Nigeria of this class of exploiters and looters, and putting in place a government of the working people and the poor that would be committed to using our collective wealth to better the lots of all Nigerians.
4.    Therefore, the National leadership of JAF has commenced mobilisation and is hereby specifically requesting all its affiliates and members to join forces with the State Councils of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and National Union of Pensioners (NUP) in the mobilization of Nigerians for the APRIL 10TH MASS PROTEST.
5.    Equally, JAF urges Nigerian traders, students, artisans, women, faith-based groups, professionals, the unemployed, etc to massively participate in the APRIL 10TH MASS PROTEST against the Pension Scam and unbridled Corruption in the country.
6.    Towards this end, JAF will soonest, after due consultation with the NLC, TUC and NUP, hold a media conference to unfold the details of its Programme of Action in the April 10th MASS PROTEST.
 
FORWARD EVER, BACKWARD NEVER
 
 DR. DIPO FASHINA                    COMRADE ABIODUN AREMU
JAF Chairperson                           JAF Secretary

Sunday 17 March 2013

PENSION PROBE: LIGHT SENTENCING OF PENSION THIEF CONFIRMS GOVERNMENT IS NOT COMMITTED TO FIGHT CORRUPTION


 February 8, 2013
SYSTEM CHANGE REMAINS OUR GOAL!
PRESS STATEMENT
1.    The Joint Action Front (JAF) joins Nigerians to condemn the law that encouraged the ridiculous sentence of 2 years imprisonment with an option of fine in the sum of N750,000 given to a former director of the Police Pensions Board, John Yakubu Yusufu, after he pleaded guilty to charges of stealing N23.3 billion from pension fund.
2.    This is in the same country where the penalty of an Okada worker of 3 years imprisonment is more than that of a ruling class thief who stole billions. Equally, ordinary citizens who steal goats and chickens out of desperation and hunger caused by the UNJUST SYSTEM are sentenced to several years of imprisonment with hard labour and without option of fine. This is absolutely ridiculous.
3.    JAF notes that the widespread outrage caused by the judgment has compelled the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to re-arrest and remand Yakubu Yusufu in Prison custody on the basis of fresh charges of not fully disclosing his asset. However this face-saving move by the EFCC has not succeeded in erasing its complicity in the ridiculous judgment on the basis of the unjust formula of plea-bargaining through which many notable thieves in the past have equally escaped justice in exchange for a part of their loot.
4.    Nigerians should note that the rulers of Nigeria are not committed to fighting corruption,. Only SYSTEM CHANGE will end corruption. Thus, Yakubu Yusufu is not the first to be so lightly sentenced. Former Governor of  Bayelsa State Diprieye Alamieyesiegha was in 2007 given a two-year sentence for money laundering, while Chief Lucky Igbinedion was convicted on a one-count charge of misappropriation of money in excess of N3billion and sentenced to six-month imprisonment with option of fine in the sum of N3.5 million.
5.    Also, prominent on the list include the Deputy Chairman of the PDP Bode George who, as Chairman of the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) in 2009 got 30-month jail term following his conviction on a 47-count charge of contract splitting and inflation Upon completing his term, Bode George left prison in style with a fanfare procession which ended in a thanksgiving church service! Little wonder therefore that unbridled corruption, official embezzlement and direct stealing from the treasury continue unabated despite regular promises of government to fight the scourge.
6.    JAF insists on a living wage and posits that the scale of embezzlement of the pension funds should be a wakeup call for Labour to revisit the issue of pension management in order to ensure the safety of pension fund and its prompt access to the beneficiaries (workers).
7.    It should be clear to the Nigerian working people in the formal and informal sectors that their pensions are in serious danger as Pension funds have become slush funds for government officials and their private cronies to embezzle. The participation of the private sector in the management of the funds makes this danger much more palpable as it is within the mandate of private Pension Fund Administrators and Pension Fund Custodians to invest the funds as they wish, and without the permission of workers, for profitable ventures.
8.    JAF’s position for a living pension and its credible management is against the background of the sordid sharp practices exposed in the banking and financial sector combined with the instability in Nigeria’s economy, with implication for lost of the pension funds to the caprices of profit-hunting private pension funds operators.
9.    In fact, government at all levels and irrespective of the political parties in power is nothing but a government of corruption. This is why JAF continues to call for SYSTEM CHANGE as the only way to rid Nigeria of these looters by putting in place a government of the working people and the poor that would be committed to using our collective wealth to better the lots of all Nigerians.
10. The so-called rule of law in Nigeria is a protector of ruling class thieves, who are in all cases, allowed to get away with light punishment. As far as JAF is concerned
11. JAF welcomes the resolve by the National Union of Pensioners (NUP) to hold a National Protest on February 25 to demand for the remittance of their check-off dues and 53 percent increment in their pensions. We urge Nigerians to prepare for a National Protest against pension robbery and monumental corruption in the country.
12. JAF demands as follows:
·         The Retrial of Yakubu Yusufu, his imprisonment without option of fine and forfeiture of all his assets.
·         That Labour should demand and campaign for a review of the Pension Act to entrust the management of pensions in the elected representatives of the trade unions, as well as to guarantee the safety of the pensions.
·         To convince Nigerians of its claims of fighting corruption, Government at all levels should slash salaries and allowances of all political office holders and government appointees to the same level with that of the highest paid civil servants.

FORWARD EVER, BACKWARD NEVER

DR. DIPO FASHINA                         COMRADE ABIODUN AREMU
JAF Chairperson                             JAF Secretary