Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
Following the expiration of the deadline issued by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) to the Federal government over alleged attack on the NLC president Joe Ajaero, the labour centres have resolved to begin an indefinite nationwide industrial midnight Tuesday, November 14
Addressing a Press Conference at Labour House in Abuja on Monday, president of the TUC Festus Osifo said that the strike was necessitated by the lack of response by the Federal Government to the demands of organised labour to bring to justice all those involved in the molestation and attack on the NLC president and workers during the protest in Imo state.
Speaking on the unfulfilled demands of Labour, Osifo said: “We want the government to meet some key demands regarding the brutalization of the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress. So we set some conditions and those conditions were very clear without ambiguity whatsoever.
“We said, those people that brutalized our President must be arrested, and they must be prosecuted. We also stated that the Area Commander of Police that led his men to carry out the brutalization should be relieved of his duty and he should be prosecuted.
“Then, one Chinasa, who everybody knew, that led the thugs should also be arrested and prosecuted and so forth and so on.
“So, the two Labour centers have resolved to stand firmly by the decision of the joint NEC that was held last week Tuesday. That effective, 00:1 hours, on the 14th November we shall declare a nationwide strike.
‘So, effective tomorrow, or midnight today, a nationwide strike is going to commence. All affiliates of TUC, all affiliates of NLC, all state councils of the two labour centers have been mobilized adequately and this is going to be indefinite until governments at all levels wake up to their responsibilities.
“This is the decision of the joint NEC of NLC and TUC and we are going to carry out the latter”.
Labour had earlier declared trade dispute with the Imo state government, accusing the state government of violating workers’ rights by illegally sacking over 600 workers.
The labour union also accused the state government of owing workers and pensioners over 42 months arrears; declaring thousands of workers/pensioners ghost workers/pensioners; not properly implementing the national minimum wage.
He also accused state government of trying to use the courts to stifle a lawful protest and attempting to break the ranks of the unions in the State;
It said that the authorities were undermining the NLC in the state by foisting on the state council a leadership not constituted in accordance with the provisions of the Congress constitution.
Other allegations include; iinterfering in the affairs of the state council; hiring thugs to vandalise Congress state secretariat and observing in breach, agreements government voluntarily entered into with Congress as far back as 2021.
The latest nationwide strike was precipitated by the labour dispute in Imo state, which snowballed into a fracas during a protest rally called by the NLC national leadership in Owerri.
While narating his ordeal at a Press Conference in Abuja last Friday, Ajaero who wore a neck collar said policemen arrested and hit him with all manner of objects at the NLC Secretariat in Imo state.He said, “The policeman that arrested me, came with all manner of documents and they were asking me why I was challenging Hope, that I should say my last prayer, and that they were taking me to where they called Nja-aba River, and that’s where they will throw me.”That was in the process, i don’t know how the same people carried me to police headquarters, to talk with their boss, and brought me down there. And the police people were standing outside as if they were waiting for a common criminal”.
