The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has categorically denied any agreement with the Federal Government regarding the suspension of the proposed indefinite strike scheduled to commence on October 3.
This announcement comes in response to reports circulating in certain media outlets suggesting that an agreement had been reached between organized labor and the government.
The organized labor, which includes the NLC and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), had previously declared their intention to embark on an indefinite strike due to the government’s failure to provide palliatives to mitigate the impact of the removal of the petrol subsidy.
Although Mr. Olajide Oshundun, the Director of Press at the Ministry of Labour and Employment, had denied making any such statement regarding an agreement, the NLC clarified that no such agreement exists.
Furthermore, the government has neither extended an invitation to the union nor provided a date for a meeting to discuss the proposed strike.
In a statement released by the NLC’s Head of Information and Public Affairs, Benson Upah, the union emphasized, “we do not have any agreement with the government to suspend the planned strike action. Neither do we have any date for a meeting with government that may lead to the suspension of the proposed strike.”
The NLC also expressed gratitude to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Barrister Simon Lalong, for his role in securing the release of the executives of the National Union of Road Transport Workers from unlawful detention.
They took exception to the Ministry’s description of these executives as “factional leaders,” asserting that they were lawfully elected into office.
The NLC called on the police and other parties involved in the executives’ detention to refrain from such conduct and urged them to uphold the principles of democracy and resist the temptation for impunity, stating, “Enough is enough.”