NLC members protesting
In its continous protest of an increase in petrol price, Nigerian
Labour leaders reportedly walked out of a closed-door meeting with the
federal government on Tuesday, saying they are mobilising their members
for an indefinite strike from Wednesday.
It was gathered that in an attempt to broker a last minute
agreement of cease-fire, the meeting of the labour leaders with the
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, and other
officials of federal government, was convened.
The General Executive Secretary of Medical and Health Workers
Union, north central, Richard Gbamwuan, also disclosed shortly after an
emergency NEC meeting of the NLC held in Abuja on Tuesday, that they
were going ahead with the proposed strike.
"We have resolved to go ahead with the protest nationwide, as
far as we are concerned, we are yet to be aware of any court injunction.
"And if there is any court injunction, we are just doing what
federal government is fond of doing. The same Industrial court had
stopped federal government from increasing electric tariff but till date
federal government ignored us, they still went ahead, so we are
embarking on the protest," he said.
The SGF, Lawal, said the government would ensure free movement of persons despite the strike called by the NLC.
Peter Ozo-Eson, General Secretary of the Nigerian Labour Congress
(NLC), had earlier told Premium Times that from all indications the
strike would go on as planned. "It is clear the strike will go ahead as planned," Ozo-Eson said ahead of the meeting with the government.
The strike is coming despite an order of the National Industrial
Court restraining labour from going ahead with the threat. The Attorney
General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, had earlier on Tuesday
approached the Industrial Court on behalf of federal government to stop
the strike.
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