ASUU Strike: FG Urges NLC To Shelve Planned Solitary Protest

Hamilton Nwosa
Writer
Breaking! Court Orders ASUU To Call Off Strike

Ad

Why Wike Should Resign or Be Sacked: A Call to Organized Civil Society in Nigeria to Uphold Anti-corruption Standards with Consistency, By Frank Tietie

By Frank Tietie The revelations by Nigerian social crusader, investigative journalist, and activist Omoyele Sowore regarding the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyiesome Wike, are serious and warrant the attention of all Nigerians who care about the integrity of the country. Sowore has alleged that Wike laundered funds and concealed the purchase of…

Dangote Refinery Slams PENGASSAN, Describes Order as ‘Economic Sabotage’

By Abiola Olawale In an escalating labor showdown, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery has fired back at the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), criticising the latter’s order on Saturday. This is as the refinery owned by Africa’s richest person, Alhaji Aliko Dangote described PENGASSAN's order to cut crude oil and gas…

Intimate Affairs: ‘I don’t want a mother-in-law,’ By Funke Egbemode

By Funke Egbemode Tola doesn’t wish anybody dead. She just doesn’t want to go through what her mother went through in the hands of her grandmother. She had been told that she might just be lucky and end up with a husband with a kind mother. But she’s scared, I believe, irredeemably, by the trauma…

Ad

The Federal Government has urged the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to shelve its nationwide planned protest in solidarity with the trade unions in the Nigeria public universities and others.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, made the appeal at a meeting with the leadership of NLC in his office on Thursday in Abuja.

Ngige said this in a statement signed by My Olajide Oshundun, Head, Press and Public Relations, in the ministry.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the decision to embark on a `National Day of Protest was taken at the NLC National Executive Council (NEC) in June.

The National protest is scheduled for July 26 and 27 to ensure students go back to school and also in support of the unions in Nigeria’s public universities fighting for quality education.

According the minister, the Federal Government has made a lot of efforts to resolve the impasse in the university system, saying that efforts were still ongoing.

He also reminded the NLC leadership that he incorporated them into the tripartite conciliation going on in his ministry.

Ngige added that they were very much aware of the efforts of the government to resolve the impasse, so they could not embark on any rally or protest.

He further said that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) mandated him to notify them of the serious security implications of the planned protest.

According to him, a security report also sent to his office by the Department of State Services (DSS), strongly warned against holding the protest, slated for July 26 and 27.

He urged the NLC National Executive Council (NEC) to reconsider the planned rally as hoodlums might take advantage of it to cause breach of security.

Ngige expressed the concern of the government that politicians might cash in on the rally to wreak havoc in the country.

“The masses might wrongly interpret the rally as a ploy by the NLC to enhance the chances of the Labour Party (LP) Presidential candidate, a situation which could spur the supporters of the other political parties into violence.

“Section 40 of the Constitution is clear on Freedom of Association. One of the provisions is that people of like minds can organise themselves and form a political party.

“There is also a provision that people in work or employment can organise themselves into unions. They are two parallels. Parallels do not meet.

“I heard when you said you are mobilising for Labour Party. But, a trade union is not a political party. Look at the Trade Union Act.

“It does not allow trade unions to use their contributions to support any political party.”

Responding, both the Deputy President of NLC, Mr Najeem Usman, and General Secretary, Comrade Emmanuel Ugboajah, assured the government of a peaceful protest by the Congress,

They also said that infiltrators would not be allowed to participate in the protest.

Ugboajah said NLC appreciated all the efforts of the minister towards the resolution of the industrial actions in the university system and pleadd with him not to hands off the conciliation.

“We commend you for championing the harmonisation of salaries of workers in the country. We don’t understand why a messenger in NNPC or Central Bank should be earning more than a level 8 officer in the ministry,’’ he said.

NAN also reports that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), and other trade unions in the education sector have been on strike for more than five months over alleged failure of government to keep to agreement entered with the unions.

The demands of the striking workers include funding of universities, salaries and earned allowances of lecturers

Also in attendance at the meeting were the Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo SAN, and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Ms. Kachollom Daju. NAN

Ad

Unlocking Opportunities in the Gulf of Guinea during UNGA80
X whatsapp