Presidency accuses NLC, TUC of plot to instigate civil disturbance
Labour leaders – Festus Osifo of TUC and Joe Ajaero of NLC
Published By: Ayorinde Oluokun
The Presidency has described the decision by the labour unions to call workers out on strike over the alleged assault on Joe Ajaero, the President of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC in Imo as unwarranted, ego-tripping, illegal blackmail the government, cause undue hardship and civil disturbance in our country.
The Presidency, in a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy on Monday evening also accused the labour unions of executing a sinister and hidden agenda to cause undue hardship and cause civil disturbance in our country by issuing the strike notice after official hours.
The presidency, in the statement, noted that the labour unions decided to call out workers on strike despite a restraining order issued last week by Justice Benedict Backwash Kanyip of the National Industrial Court and the transfer of a police commissioner allegedly responsible for the assault of Ajaero out of Imo State.
The presidency also noted in the statement that the Inspector General of Police has also ordered an investigation into the alleged assault on the NLC President, according to it, “error of judgment led to the assault on him in Owerri while he was planning to incite the workers in Imo State into a needless strike.”
“Calling out workers on a national strike over a personal issue of a labour leader despite a clear court order against any industrial action amounts to an abuse of privilege. Power at any level should never be used to settle personal scores. Rather it should be used to promote collective progress and advance national interest.
“Our national economy and social activities should not suffer because of the personal interest of any labour leader.
“This flagrant disobedience to court order and lack of respect to the judiciary should not be what organised Labour should champion.
“The labour movement has always been a champion of the rule of law and respect for the judiciary. It is a sad irony that the current labour leaders have shown disdain and utter disregard for court orders.
“We reiterate that this strike action is illegal, immoral, unjustifiable and irresponsible. With the strike notice issued Monday night after official hours suggests it was designed for a sinister and hidden agenda to cause undue hardship and cause civil disturbance in our country,” the presidency said in the statement.
Organised labour had on Monday declared a nationwide indefinite strike from midnight of Nov. 14, despite a court order restraining it from such action in protest against the “physical attack and brutalisation” of Ajaero.
It would be recalled that the NLC had declared a protest in Imo, led by Ajaero on Nov. 1, over alleged anti-workers policies and non-payment of 20-month salary arrears by the state government.
But Ajaero was attacked and brutalised in the state even though the police have refuted the claim.
However, the National Industrial Court had restrained organised labour from embarking on the planned nationwide strike.
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- Labour Leader Ajaero pursuing personal political agenda and not the interest of workers
Read the full statement by the presidency below
NLC/TUC STRIKE ACTION NOT IN NATIONAL INTEREST
We notice with dismay the decision by the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress to call out workers to commence a strike action from midnight, despite a restraining order issued last week by Justice Benedict Backwash Kanyip of the National Industrial Court.
This decision by the NLC and TUC other than being an ego tripping is clearly unwarranted. It is a move to blackmail the government by the leadership of the NLC.
We are still at a loss as to the reason the NLC and TUC decided to punish a whole country of over a 200million people over a personal matter involving the NLC President, Mr. Joe Ajaero whose error of judgment led to the assault on him in Owerri while he was planning to incite the workers in Imo State into a needless strike.
While the Federal government does not condone any form of violence and assault on any citizen of Nigeria regardless of social and economic status, it is on record that the Inspector General of Police has ordered an investigation into what happened to Mr Ajaero while the Commissioner of Police in Imo State under whose watch the incident happened has been transferred out of the state.
Calling out workers on a national strike over a personal issue of a labour leader despite a clear court order against any industrial action amounts to an abuse of privilege. Power at any level should never be used to settle personal scores. Rather it should be used to promote collective progress and advance national interest.
Our national economy and social activities should not suffer because of the personal interest of any labour leader.
This flagrant disobedience to court order and lack of respect to the judiciary should not be what organised Labour should champion.
The labour movement has always been a champion of rule of law and respect for the judiciary. It is a sad irony that the current labour leaders have shown disdain and utter disregard for court order.
We reiterate that this strike action is illegal, immoral, unjustifiable and irresponsible. With the strike notice issued Monday night after official hours suggests it was designed with a sinister and hidden agenda to cause undue hardship and civil disturbance in our country.
Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy
November 13, 2023
