Following the unilateral decision of the Nigeria Labour Congress to engage in a nationwide strike on Monday 28th September 2020, the Federal Government will meet again with the association to discuss on how a consensus can be reached to avert the impending strike.
This was disclosed by Charles Akpan, the Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, yesterday. The FG is also expected to unfold its palliative plans during the parley.
According to the statement issued, “The Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige will be hosting a meeting with the Organised Labour. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 24, 2020, and the venue is the Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, by 3 pm.”
It will be recalled that the FG and the unions had met penultimate, Tuesday but the dialogue ended in an impasse resulting from the failure of the government to reverse the price increase or offer palliatives to cushion the effects on the workers. To this end, both the NLC and TUC consequently declared strike and protest scheduled to commence from Monday next week.
Meanwhile, labour unions in Oyo State on Wednesday gathered at a symposium in Ibadan with a resolve to mobilize the masses ahead of the Monday strike and protest.
Kayode Martins, the Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress in the state said, “I want everybody to leave this place and go out there to encourage others to be part of the protest. Our mumu don do.”
In the same vein, Gbenga Olowolafe, the Vice Chairman of the Trade Union Congress in Oyo State, pointed out that the masses had a role to play, urging them to come out and join the struggle to liberate the country from bad leadership.
On his part, Dr Femi Aborisade, a human rights activist, who is also the Vice-Chairman, Oyo State chapter of Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond, stated, “ It will be a daily mass protest and all of us must produce materials that will be distributed to the masses. If this regime is incapable of meeting our demands, he (Buhari) should resign.”
InlandTown! 2020
