Labour ignores FG’s plea, proceeds with strike action
…Display violence and pay for your actions — Ag. IGP Egbetokun warns
…Police, CSOs call for dialogue
…We can’t afford to go backwards, Arewa CSOs pull out of strike
…Doctors’ strike worsens service conditions in govt hospitals
…NUPRC workers shut down offices nationwide
By Moses Adeniyi
Efforts of the Federal Government (FG) to talk the Organised Labour out of its planned strike have fallen on deaf ears, even at the last minute, as Labour insisted Tuesday evening after meeting with government representatives that there was no going back on the strike on Wednesday (today).
The Federal Government on Tuesday made pleas to the Organised Labour to get them suspend the proposed strike set for Wednesday, saying that it was doing everything to ensure that the hardship occasioned by the discontinuation of subsidy payment on premium motor spirit (PMS), popularly called petrol, is cushioned.
Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the Presidential Steering Committee meeting on Palliatives held at the State House, Abuja, the Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, appealed to the Organised Labour to suspend the planned protest.
“We have laid out the plans, the interventions of Mr. President, as you all heard in his broadcast yesterday. We made it clear that this was just Mr. President’s initial rollout and interventions and that conversations will be ongoing as we go along.
“And we appealed to Labour, we did appeal to labour to call off the protests for tomorrow. We found listening ears here and they did agree that they all accepted that Mr. President’s broadcast was a welcome development and that they will go back home to talk to the other leaders that are not present today. So, we’re hopeful that they will do the right thing and call off the strike tomorrow,” he said.
Still expressing dissatisfaction, however, the Organised Labour has said that the palliatives rolled out by the President as declared in his nationwide broadcast on Monday night were too insignificant to cushion the effect of sufferings in the Country.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), specifically said it was going on with the proposed nationwide protest on Wednesday.
The NLC led by its Deputy President, Comrade Titus Amba said that there was nothing new tabled from the government’s side at the meeting apart from the broadcast of President Bola Tinubu that was presented to the committee.
…Display violence and pay for your actions — IGP Egbetokun warns
Meanwhile, the Labour’s insistence to go ahead with the nationwide protest has prompted the Nigeria Police to issue a note of warning against any violent reaction.
The Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetoku stated that the Police will not tolerate any act that threatens the peace and well-being of the Country.
“The Nigeria Police Force is fully prepared to deploy all available resources to maintain law and order and to protect the lives and property of our citizens,” he said.
He, however, suggested to labour unions to explore constructive dialogue, which he said “is sine qua none, in addressing these issues.”
A statememt by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi on Tuesday, reads, “The Acting Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun is deeply concerned about recent developments regarding planned nationwide protests by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC).
“While being mindful of the right to peaceful protest, as enshrined in our Constitution, the IGP urges all parties involved to ensure that the planned demonstrations are conducted in a peaceful manner to prevent being hijacked by miscreants.
“The IGP, however, acknowledges the grievances raised by the labour unions and the importance of constructive dialogue, which is sine qua none, in addressing these issues.
“In light of this, the IGP orders the Commissioners of Police in charge of various commands, and supervisory Assistant Inspectors-General of Police, to engage in fruitful discussions with the NLC/TUC leadership to foster understanding and reach common grounds on the planned protests.
“A peaceful and coordinated approach is crucial to achieving meaningful solutions and preventing any form of violence or disruptions to public order, should the protests persist.
“The Nigeria Police Force reiterates its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all citizens during the period of the planned protests as all necessary measures to facilitate the peaceful conduct of these demonstrations have been emplaced.
“However, it is hereby reaffirmed that any attempt by miscreants to exploit the situation for violent purposes viz-a-viz vandalism, gangsterism, and extortion will be met with firm, professional and commensurate lawful approach.
“The Police will not tolerate any act that threatens the peace and well-being of our country.
“In light of the potential challenges posed by the planned protests, the Nigeria Police Force is fully prepared to deploy all available resources to maintain law and order and to protect the lives and property of our citizens.
“The IGP therefore calls on all officers to be vigilant, professional, and uphold the highest standards of conduct during this period.
“The Police boss urges all stakeholders, including the NLC, TUC, and other civil society groups, to embrace peaceful dialogue as the most effective means of resolving grievances.
“He also re-emphasized that the Police is committed to ensuring a secure and conducive environment for open dialogue, constructive engagement and mutaul understanding for a seamless exercise of civil rights.”
The warning of the IGP came as protesting members of the NLC in Oyo State, reportedly stormed the State secretariat on Tuesday, the second day of their protest, beating civil servants who refused to follow the directives of the labour union to join the ongoing protest in the State.
The protesters who are members of the labour union, were reportedly drawn from various ministries, departments and agencies.
According to reports, civil servants were beaten up by the protesters under the watch of some labour leaders, disrupting activities in government offices for several hours, while locking up some in their offices.
The protest by the NLC began on Monday in Oyo, following their demands for payment of leave bonus, payment of gratuities to retirees who have been stagnated since the year 2021 and release of promotion letters for the Year 2021 and 2022.
While some protesters stormed the entrance of the State Secretariat, some male members of the union were assigned to sack offices within the secretariat, chasing out civil servants to join the protest by force.
The protesters, who carried sticks sang songs and disrupted official duties which also affected vehicular movement.
Although, President Bola Tinubu in his broadcast on Monday night rolled out planned palliative measures, the Organised Labour immediately berated the provisions, reaffirming its resolve to carry on with the nationwide strike.
In a statement that trailed President Tinubu’s Monday night speech, the NLC condemned the President’s declaration that the review of minimum wage was imminent.
The NLC in the statement noted that it was “open knowledge” that the review of minimum wage would commence in 2024 as stipulated by law, wondering how Nigerians would cope till that time under the prevailing harsh conditions.
NLC also stated that the Tinubu administration had failed to show cooperation and dialogue with members of the organised labour.
The statement which was signed by the NLC national president, Joe Ajaero, reads: “Labour is disturbed that while President Tinubu in his speech lavishly praised the Private Sector for quickly dispensing wage award to their employees, the Federal Government has failed to do the same for public workers in its employment. This is a clear case of failing woefully to live up to the standards it has set for others to meet.
“It is open knowledge that the review of the national minimum wage is a matter of the law which is expected to happen in 2024. How would Nigerian workers cope with the current reality of hyperinflation and suffering unleashed by the hasty removal of the so-called petrol subsidy till 2024 when the national minimum wage would be reviewed? This is incredible!
“Organised Labour has been forced to negotiate with empty chairs on the Federal Government’s side as the Federal Government has not matched its public promises with firm commitment to negotiate in good faith with labour. As a matter of fact, the sub-committee on wage award has not been inaugurated and has not met.”
Rising from another round of meeting of the Steering Committee on palliatives at the presidential villa, Abuja, on Monday, Labour had expressed doubts about President Tinubu’s ability to control inflation and gasoline prices due to the unification of the exchange rate.
Speaking to correspondents, Ajaero, had questioned, “By the time you have a single market and you are not having anything that has a comparative advantage, your energy is import driven, then how are you going to control it? How are you going to control somebody that exchanged dollar at about 900 (naira)? Are you going to tell him to sell below the price?
“How are you going to tell even NEPA today, with the cost of production not to increase tariff? Even corn in the villages that was sold at N18,000 by February, now it’s about 56,000. How are you going to control it?”
The Chief of Staff to the President had after the meeting said that issues were trashed at the closed door meeting and that they adjourned to listen to the President broadcast.
“But we believe that after tonight (Monday) broadcast, President will speak to all the issues, he will roll out his interventions and needles to say we believe any reasonable person will tell you that at that point there will be no need for any protest,” he had said.
However, President Tinubu’s speech failed to appeal to Labour as they have insisted on the nationwide strike.
Present at Monday’s meeting were Ajaero, his counterpart from the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Festus Osifo; the General Secretary of NLC, Comrade Emma Ugbaja; the TUC Secretary, Nuhu Toro and other members of the Organised Labour delegation including Prof. Sam Amadi.
From the side of government are the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Kachollom Daju; the Group Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari and the Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Olu Verheijen among others.
Recall that a meeting scheduled last week Friday suffered a breach in setting, as it was gathered the government side failed to honour the meeting it called labour into, a development that saw labour lampooning the Federal Government for unpreparedness.
Labour officials had lamented they were subjected to ill treatment which saw them being kept waiting for almost two hours at the gate for clearance into the venue with no intervention, a development that saw them walking out of the meeting, after they realised that the team representing the government failed to show up.
“We felt very disappointed because we did not expect this from the government,” a top labour official had said.
Nigerian NewsDirect had reported how that the Federal Government may seek to employ injunction to forestall plans on the nationwide strike.
The organised Labour had on Sunday told the Federal Government that there is no order be it interim, interlocutory or perpetual order from either the National Industrial Court, or any other court restraining Nigerian workers from participating in peaceful rallies convened by it.
The NLC had also reminded the Federal Government through the Solicitor-General that there is a subsisting judgement that the right to demonstrate and to protest on matters of public concern are rights that are in the public interest which individuals must possess and exercise without impediment as long as no wrongful act is done.
The organised labour had stated these via a letter from the Falana Chambers to the Permanent Secretary/Solicitor -General with the title, ‘“Re-NLC in contempt of court,” signed by Sam Ogala Esq.
We did not threaten NLC — Solicitor General of the Federation
Meanwhile, the Solicitor-General of the Federation, Mrs Beatrice Jedy-Agba, on Monday in a reaction denied the Ministry of Justice threatened the NLC over the planned strike.
This was contained in a letter addressed to the counsel for NLC, Messrs Falana & Falana’s Chambers on Monday in Abuja by Jedy-Agba.
In the letter, the Solicitor-general of the Federation said the ministry simply drew the attention of the NLC to a pending court order.
We can’t afford to go backwards, Arewa CSOs pull-out of strike
Barely 24 hours to the planned nationwide strike and mass protest by the NLC, 16 northern based Civil Society Groups under the aegis of Coalition of Arewa Civil Society Organisations on Tuesday pulled out of the planned strike action.
The CSOs reasoned that the indefinite strike action would damage the fragile economy, causing more hardship to the ordinary citizens.
The CSOs in a statement signed by the Chairman and the Secretary of the Arewa Coalition, Comrade Ibraheem Suleman Dogo and Comrade Friday Luka Dalung noted that “after critical study of the disadvantages and overall consequences on the masses , we decided to pull out immediately and asked the labour unions and federal government to rather embrace dialogue on Mitigating Measures.”
They stated that the decision to pull out was basically because the planned strike action was not the best way to resolve problems emerging from current harsh economic conditions caused by the removal of fuel subsidy.
“The strike would also cripple the country as movement would be severely curtailed with markets, schools and healthcare facilities forced to shut down.
“We can’t afford to go back to the days, when the Federal Government used monies meant for development of public infrastructure; education, health care and jobs for payment of subsidy to rich marketers.
“We can’t also continue to feed smugglers and act as ‘Father Christmas’ to neighbouring countries. It’s for these reasons we recommend for dialogue and more robust discussion on the matters arising from fuel subsidy removal.
“It would be recalled that President Tinubu, while addressing Nigerians on June 12 Democracy Day commemoration, said he came to the decision in order to free the country’s resources from the stranglehold of unpatriotic elements.
“We expect the labour unions and relevant stakeholders to look beyond the harsh Policies now and consider the future of a sustainable economy that will bring about overall development across all spheres of life.
“However, between now and tomorrow , Wednesday, August 2, we urge the Federal Government to invite representatives of the organised labour in an effort to stop the nationwide strike called by the Nigeria Labour Congress,” the statement reads partly.
Meanwhile, as the protest moves to go nationwide, the strike by health professionals under the National Association of Resident Doctors, (NARD), has further crippled conditions in the health sector, particularly at the nation’s tertiary health facilities, where services have been restrained, forcing rejection of patients, while only few Consultants who are senior doctors were attending to emergency cases.
NUPRC workers shut down offices nationwide
Workers of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) affiliated with the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGANSSAN) yesterday, shut down offices nationwide over what they described as poor workers welfare, inhumane treatment, among other concerns.
The workers of the authority, came out en masse, blocking entrance to the facilities, carrying placards with different inscriptions.
Some of the placards read, ‘pay our medical retainerships, we are tired of spending on medicals,’ ‘steady electricity is all our offices need nationwide,’ no to outrageous legal fees,’ ‘give us work tools,’ among others.’
Speaking to journalists in Lagos, PENGASSAN chapter Chairman, Lagos regional office of NUPRC, Mr. Orlu Temple, said: “We the workers of NUPRC decided to go on strike today, simply because our management has decided not to do the needful.
“They have decided to ignore the welfares of staffs. These are politicians that has been imposed on us to take the leadership of this organisation backward.
“We used to be known as the Department of Petroleum Resources, until the advent of the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA which now split us into two. We now have the Commission and the Authority.
“So, we find ourselves as the Commission. We are the offspring sector of the industry that monitors the oil and gas industry, the IOCs.
“The PIA clearly stated that we will not enjoy any condition of service less favorable from what we used to enjoy while operating as the defunct DPR.
“But, as we speak today, what we are enjoying is completely less favourable from where we are coming from, and that is against what PIA clearly stated.
“According to the PIA, we are supposed to be in par with our counterparts in the oil and gas industry, like Shell, TotalEnergies, Agip and even Chevron. It is very clear, if we are the regulator monitoring these companies, we should be able to have a condition of service that is even better than what they have. But that’s not the case, we are far below.
“Workers go for job and after coming back they are not been paid, the management keeps bringing up policies and conditions of service that are completely inhuman and out of place.
“All we are saying collectively is no to this. This is just day one of the strike, we will continue until our yearning is attended to. This action is nationwide.
“All our offices, zones nationwide is on shut down. We have offices in Gombe, Warri, Abuja, Lagos, Owerri, among others”
