No Agreement With FG to Suspend Strike, Says Labour

* CSO activists vow to enforce sit-at-home

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said that no understanding has been reached with the Federal Government to suspend the indefinite strike scheduled to commence on Tuesday, next week.

It also said that there has not been any scheduled meeting with government that may lead to the suspension of the proposed strike. 

The NLC’s position came just as the United Action Front of Civil Society, the organised platform of civil society groups and activists has said that they will enforce a sit-at-home in support of the indefinite strike.

In a statement issued by the NLC Head of Information and Public Affairs, Mr.  Benson Upah, the labour movement said that it has become necessary to make clarification following the inconsistencies allegedly contained in the statement credited to the Director of Press, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mr Olajide Oshundun.

“Accordingly, we find it necessary to make clarifications. Firstly, we do not have any agreement with the government to suspend the planned strike action. Neither do we have any date for a meeting with government that may lead to the suspension of the proposed strike. 

“While we do not intend to demean or minimise the office of the Minister of Labour and Employment, this matter is beyond the ministry. This should have been obvious to them during our most recent meeting.

“Secondly, while we appreciate the role played by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, in securing the release of the executives of the National Union of Road Transport Workers from unlawful/illegal police detention, we take exception to the ministry describing these executives as factional leaders,” Upah said.

NLC however advised the Nigerian Police and those behind the travails of the NURTW officials, “to desist from this despicable and shameful conduct”.  

Meanwhile, the United Action Front of Civil Society, the organised platform for civil society groups and activists on matters of governance and democracy in Nigeria, has said that they will fully endorse the indefinite nationwide strike jointly declared by the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), which is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, October 3, 2023. 

The Head of the National Coordinating Centre, Olawale Okunniyi said: “It is  unfortunate that while the arbitrary fuel price hike in the name of subsidy removal on premium motor spirit (PMS) has pushed most Nigerians below poverty line, government continues to play the ostrich in spite of the promises made to labour leaders on the need for upward review of workers wages, inclusive palliatives to citizens, among others.

“The leadership of the United Action Front of Civil Society wishes to enjoin all civil society leaders, activists, working people in the private and public sectors, as well as all well meaning Nigerians in general to team up with us in rallying support for the success of the indefinite strike action declared by labour by making out time to be part of the Civil Society Coordinating Centre charged to enforce citizens sit at home during the nationwide strike action called to save Nigeria; push for living wages for the working people and better welfare conditions for Nigerians in the face of excruciating consequences of the exploitative and wrongheaded policies of government,” he said.

Okuniyi said it is evident that the present government lacks the requisite wherewithal to fix the rots perpetrated by the immediate past government of the same party and may eventually end up worsening the situation.

According to him, it is regrettable that rather than prioritise reduction in the costs of governance, the Tinubu administration is deliberately indulging in over-bloated appointments as typified by the appointment of the highest number of ministers and the largest cabinet yet in Nigeria’s history. 

“It is also regrettable that the National Assembly, which only recently arbitrarily allocated public funds to its members who embarked on recess, has also increased the number of its standing committees, which would also translate into additional costs of governance in an economy where overwhelming majority of the masses could barely cope with the costs of living in Nigeria or afford one square meal.

“The leadership of the organised civil society therefore urges all Nigerians to rally behind NLC and TUC in protest against the insensitivity and dubious politics of the Nigerian government, which has, so far, demonstrated total lack of comprehension and sensitivity to the economic challenges facing the country. 

“We wish to reiterate that the inhuman policy of arbitrary hike in fuel price has further impoverished and pauperised millions of households, who were hitherto merely coping with meagre wages and incomes for their livelihoods,” he said.