NLC Announces Fresh Strike Amidst Multiple Grievances
In a significant development, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has listed an array of grievances, including the threat of house demolitions in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) by Minister Nyesom Wike, as one of the primary catalysts behind their action.
The NLC President, Joe Ajaero, disclosed this critical announcement, underscoring that Nyesom Wike’s controversial stance on demolishing workers’ houses in the FCT stands as one of the eight major reasons for this labor movement’s decision.
Earlier reports had hinted at the impending two-day warning strike set to commence on September 5, 2023, driven primarily by protests against subsidy removal.
However, a communique jointly signed by NLC President Joe Ajaero and General Secretary Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja, released to the public via Eventville, has further detailed the factors underpinning this impending strike action.
Wike, as the FCT Minister, had previously articulated his commitment to upholding the FCT’s master plan by demolishing structures found to encroach upon green areas or disrupt the city’s carefully crafted urban design. Despite the Nigerian government’s inability to provide alternative housing solutions, Wike’s unwavering stance on demolitions has raised the ire of the NLC.
In addition to Wike’s actions, the NLC has cited a litany of grievances, including the government’s refusal to engage with organized labor regarding the consequences of the petrol price hike, which has inflicted profound suffering on Nigerian workers and the general population. Furthermore, the union decried the increasing hostility towards trade unions and their leaders across Nigeria.
The NLC also expressed concern about the illegal occupation of the National Headquarters of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) by the police, alleging interference by certain forces invoking the name of the President.
The Imo State Government’s alleged efforts to replicate the NLC and exploit workers’ rights, the Abia State Government’s interference in trade union affairs, and attempts to impose leadership on state councils of NURTW and NULGE have further exacerbated the situation.
Certain aviation companies, with Airpeace Airline as the flagship, were accused of violating workers’ rights by preventing them from joining unions of their choice, in defiance of international conventions and Nigerian laws.
Finally, the NLC drew attention to the issue of marauders posing as herdsmen, causing havoc among farmers and citizens across the country. Importantly, they emphasized that members of the Amalgamated Union of Food Stuffs and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria (AUFCDN) were not implicated but, rather, respected citizens and businesses.
Joe Ajaero, in a stern warning to the Federal Government, declared that if their demands were not met by the end of the two-day warning strike scheduled for September 5th and 6th, 2023, the unions would escalate their actions, potentially leading to a nationwide shutdown of economic activities later in the month.
This development has put the spotlight on the Nigerian government as it grapples with a multiplicity of labor-related challenges and escalating tensions across various sectors of the nation’s economy.