… Suspends Strike After Meeting With Tinubu
By CLEMENT NWOJI, Abuja
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) have asked all Nigerian workers to resume at various courts nearest to them on days of court sittings for contempt proceedings filed against the union leaders by the federal government.
The directive is against the backdrop of receipt of a Court summons purporting to charge the union leaders with contempt of Court on Wednesday.
The union leaders gave the directive in a statement jointly signed by the NLC President and TUC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero and Comrade Festus Osifo, in which they reviewed the outcome of Wednesday’s nationwide protests and commended the Nigerian workers for their massive support and solidarity in matching out in their numbers.
They noted that the workers defiled “intimidations and blackmails by agents of government and forces of retrogression to discourage them from joining the nationwide protest which was called to ventilate citizens outrage at the anti-poor and anti-peoples’ policies of the government.”
While the NLC and TUC leaders averred to remain resolute in their commitment to the protection of the interests and welfare of the Nigerian people, they further “urged all Nigerians to be vigilant because it appears that the days of long knives are here with us again.”
Accordingly, they stated: “To further show our collective resolve, All Nigerian workers will resume at the Courts wherever they may be across the nation on the days of the Court sittings to hear the contempt proceedings against the leaders of trade unions. The Airports, the Seaports, the Hospitals, Schools; all public and private sector workers will all appear in Court across the nation in response to the Contempt charges.”
Meanwhile, the unions leaders resolved to return to a new and reinvigorated dialogue process to allow for full implementation of agreements reached between the unions and the government at a meeting held Wednesday evening with President Bola Tinubu.
According to the union leaders, at the meeting held at the instance of the President, he committed to: an immediate restructuring of the framework for engagement in line with the input of the Labour leaders; let out a certainty that the Port Harcourt Refinery will commence production by December this year; pledged to ensure that Agreement is reached on the Wage Award for Nigerian workers immediately; and promised to unveil a workable roadmap to the CNG alternative next week.
The full text of the statement reads:
PRESS RELEASE
2ND OF AUGUST, 2023 YOU HAVE SPOKEN LOUDLY NIGERIANS: IT RESONATED AND RESOUNDED
We want to appreciate the massive solidarity and support of the Nigerian people who thronged the various venues around the country in their numbers despite intimidations and blackmails by agents of government and forces of retrogression to discourage them from joining the nationwide protest which was called to ventilate citizens outrage at the anti-poor and anti-peoples’ policies of the government. Our hats are doffed at your determination and commitment to saving ourselves and indeed the nation from those whose only interest is to foist continuous deprivation and suffering on Nigerians.
The message you have sent today is a strong demonstration of our collective resolve as patriots and owners of the sovereign will to demand that those who occupies the corridors of power must listen to us. You have sent a very strong, loud and clear signal to those occupying the various government houses be it at the federal or state that the people remain the sovereign and the barometer for measuring that resides with the trade union movement who have continued to be the bastion of that collective will.
The NLC and TUC also appreciates the timely intervention of the leadership of the National Assembly for their pledge to resolving the issues raised by the Nigerian people and for their deep understanding of the need for Government to provide quick wins as succor with short timelines to ameliorate the consequences of the hike in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) on the citizenry.
It is also important that we inform Nigerians that we have just received a Court summons purporting to charge us with contempt of Court. We urge all Nigerians to be vigilant because it appears that the days of long knives are here with us again. The leadership remains resolute in its commitment to the protection of the interests and welfare of the Nigerian people and nothing whatsoever can take our eyes away from this focus nor shake this belief.
Having demonstrated our collective resolve through the strong signal we sent today across Nigeria, we urge vigilance on the part of all workers and masses to protect our nation and our decisions while we await the response of the Government through the National Assembly as was assured by their representatives during the protest.
To further show our collective resolve, All Nigerian workers will resume at the Courts wherever they may be across the nation on the days of the Court sittings to hear the contempt proceedings against the leaders of trade unions. The Airports, the Seaports, the Hospitals, Schools; all public and private sector workers will all appear in Court across the nation in response to the Contempt charges.
Once again, we look forward to the continuing support of all Nigerians and workers around the country as we continue in this struggle for freedom from the clutches of oppression and impoverishment. We must remain unwavering and together refusing to allow them divide us so that collectively, we will build a nation where, no one will be considered too small to be left behind.
It is pertinent to inform Nigerians that the extent of the success of the protest is underlined by the request of the President of the federal republic of Nigeria; Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu to meet with the leadership of the NLC and TUC in a closed-door session. The engagement was fruitful that immense mileage was gotten with regards to the issues that bogged down the work of the Presidential Committee on Subsidy removal and necessitated the protest viz; 1. He committed to an immediate restructuring of the framework for
engagement in line with the input of the Labour leaders
2. He let out a certainty that the Port Harcourt Refinery will commence production by December this year.
3. He pledged to ensure that Agreement is reached on the Wage Award for Nigerian workers immediately.
4. He promised to unveil a workable roadmap to the CNG alternative next week.
On the strength of the President’s pledge and commitment, we have decided for a return to a new and reinvigorated dialogue process to allow for full implementation. Once again, we thank Nigerians while we wait for the Government to fulfill its own part of the understanding as agreed with His Excellency; the President.
Comrade Joe Ajaero, President NLC
Comrade Festus Osifo, President TUC
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