A group, Vanguard for Transparent Leadership and Democracy (VATLAD), has strongly condemned the reported decision by the leadership of Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) to picket the residence of the Minister of Labour, Ngige Chris, which led to violence and injuries.
It said the picketing was not only unlawful but also against the Trade Dispute Act of Nigeria and gross violation of the Fundamental Right of Dr Ngige to his Private life.
It is also an embarrassment to the organize, which is not lawless organisations and not expected to act lawlessly no matter the perceived provocations.
Comrade Igbini Emmanuel, National President, VATLAD, asked that “assuming without conceding that Ngige, acted unlawfully to refuse the inauguration of Kokori as chairman of the Management Board of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), how then does such act constitute a Trade Dispute which allows NLC the right to peacefully picket offices or businesses where the dispute arises?
It must be made very clear to NLC that there are laws that established and regulate trade unions and trade disputes which must be obeyed by all parties (employers and employees) of trade unions.
According to Emmanuel, “NLC should have restricted its protest or picketing to the official office of the Minister of Labour, the Presidential Villa or any Federal government office it deems has relationship with the NSITF with a view to putting pressure on President Buhari to direct the Minister to inuagurate Comrade Kokori as chairman of the board.
