NLC backs out of talks with FG, to begin nationwide strike Aug. 14
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has backed out of the talks with the federal government aimed at preventing a nationwide strike.
NLC president, Joe Ajero, and his Trade Union Congress (TUC) counterpart Festus Osifo had met with President Bola Tinubu at the presidential villa, Abuja on Tuesday’s night, after which it announced it was suspending its planned strike.
But, labour in its Thursday’s press release, accused the government of allowing “themselves to be used as agents of anti-democracy.” Ajero, in the statement, cited the contempt suit filed by the solicitor-general of the federation at the National Industrial Strike against it.
In the contempt suit, the government accused labour of flouting the court order restraining it from going ahead with the strike by holding a nationwide protest.
Ajero said, “To go on total strike across the country any day labour leaders are summoned to court by the government through the NICN 5; To demand the immediate withdrawal of this litigious terrorism by the Federal Ministry of Justice before the end of work Friday, the 11th of August, 2023; To embark on a nationwide comprehensive strike beginning Monday 14th of August, 2023 if this contemptuous court summons is not withdrawn by whosoever initiated it.”
The counsel to the Organised Labour, Falana, SAN, urged the President to call the permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Justice to order over the contempt charges filed against the organized labour.
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He also noted that the NLC had in no way breached any agreement it had with the President on the suspension of the nationwide protests.
