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…. dismissed insinuation that organised labour was frustrating the scheme.
The organised labour in Kogi State says it has done nothing to frustrate the Agric-Business Alternative Retirement Investment Scheme (AARIS) in which 8,000 workers have indicated interest.
The state Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Onuh Edoka, made the clarifications while speaking at a meeting with the office of the Head of Service in Lokoja
He said that the investment scheme was being handled by the state government and a private firm, Oil Palm Plantation Development Advocacy Network (OPPDDAN).
Edoka also dismissed insinuation that the organised labour was frustrating the scheme, saying that the role of the labour was to protect the interest of workers.
Edoka also said the organised labour was not demanding gratification to support the scheme as being peddled in some quarters and urged the promoter of the scheme to wire the money to individual beneficiary account if the money was ready as insinuated
The NLC chairman urged the office of the Head of Service to be careful on how it handled the scheme to make sure that no Kogi worker is shortchanged.
Under the scheme, OPPDDAN is expected to facilitate a N1.5 million loan for each of the beneficiaries.
Out of the amount , workers will receive N500,000 while the balance of N1 million will be invested in the oil palm plantation.
Speaking on the matter, the Coordinator of the scheme, Mr Joseph Idoko said the scheme was not a scam as being rumoured.
Idoko also exonorated his organisation from the allegation that labour leaders were demanding gratification to buy into the project.
