THE Federal Government has appealled to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to shelve its planned August 2 nationwide strike, saying it was doing everything possible to address issues raised by the Labour concerning the biting effects of the removal of fuel subsidy by President Bola Tinubu.
This followed the seven-day strike notice served by the NLC to the federal government to address what it described as anti-people policies or face industrial action.
The NLC, in a communiqué at the end of its Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting at Labour House in Abuja, signed by its President and General Secretary, Joe Ajaero and Emma Ugboaja, respectively, also demanded the immediate inauguration of the Presidential Steering Committee, as agreed in the earlier consequential dialogues.
The communiqué said the CWC-in-session demanded “the immediate reversal of all anti-poor policies of the federal government, including the recent hike in PMS price, increase in public school fees, the release of the eight months withheld salary of university lecturers and workers and increase in VAT.”
NLC also resolved “to begin the building across the nation of a coalition of all Nigerians, where all will be leaders and all will be followers, calls on all civil society organisations and Nigerians, wherever they may be, to begin mobilisation to take action on their own to save our nation and to lead and organise mass protest rallies across the nation to demonstrate outrage against the inhuman actions and policies of the government.
“It also resolved to give the federal government a seven-day ultimatum within which to meet all our demands and to embark on a nationwide action, beginning Wednesday, August 2, 2023, to compel the government to reverse its anti-poor and anti-workers policies.
“It direct all affiliates and state councils to begin immediate mobilisation and closely work with associations, individuals and other entities, including the ones already on the streets, to ensure that government listens to the people.”
But speaking after the steering committee meeting on palliatives, leader of the federal government team and Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Olu Verheijen, flanked by Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Kachollom Daju, pleaded with Labour to give government more time to look into its grievances rather than embark on strike, explaining that government was yet to roll out palliatives because it didn’t want to make mistakes.
She said the meeting was focused around how to fast-track a lot of the interventions that would bring relief, particularly around CNG, mass transportation, cleaner energy, transportation and reduce the impact of the cost of transportation and increased cost of transportation.
She assured that was Tinubu was working assiduously to address all of these issues and as quickly as he can, as he is very empathetic and concerned about it.
In a related development, the federal government has warned the NLC against going ahead with strike. The government, in a statement by the Federal Ministry of Justice, said any strike by the union over the removal of fuel subsidy would amount to contempt of court.
The statement, which was signed by the Solicitor General of the Federation and the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Beatrice Jedy-Agba, said.“It is, therefore, our minimum expectation that NLC will allow the courts perform their constitutional roles, rather than resorting to self-help and undermining the orders of the court.”
It reminded the union of an order issued by the National Industrial Court (NIC) in Abuja on June 5, restraining the organised Labour, comprising the NLC, Trade Union Congress (TUC) and their affiliates, from embarking on strike planned for June 7 over the matter.
The federal government was negotiating with Labour leaders when it obtained the court order issued by Justice Olufunke Anuwe, after hearing an ex parte request from the government.
Citing the government affidavit argued by Maimuna Shiru of the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Judge agreed that the strike would disrupt socio-economic activities and unleash hardship on the citizenry, ruling: “The respondents are hereby restrained from embarking on any strike action of any nature, pending the determination of the motion on notice dated June 5.”
Justice Anuwe further ordered the federal government to serve the originating summons on the NLC and TUC and adjourned the suit until June 19.
Tinubu had, in his inaugural address on May 29, announced the removal of fuel subsidy, following which the pump price of petrol immediately jumped to about N517 per litre, depending on the location.
