The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), yesterday, threatened to embark on another nationwide strike from August 14, if the contemptuous court summons against its leadership is not withdrawn by the Federal Ministry of Justice.
This is contained in a communiqué jointly signed by NLC President, Joe Ajaero, and General Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja, issued at the end of its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting.
The Justice Ministry had, through the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NIC), served the leadership of the NLC and Trade Union Congress (TUC) with a summons on contempt of court for the nationwide protest against the federal government’s anti-poor policies, especially the removal of fuel subsidy with attendant economic hardship.
But the Union accused the Ministry of Justice and the NICN of being used to truncate democratic principles, saying: “Whereas the Federal Ministry of Justice through the NICN has continued to allow itself to be used as a vehicle to truncate the dominance of the tenets of democracy and muzzle/silence the workers of Nigeria.”
…demand the immediate withdrawal of this litigious terrorism by the Federal Ministry of Justice before the end of work Friday, the 11th of August, 2023.
Therefore, the Union among others, resolved as follows:
- To support and affirm the decision to suspend further protest on the nationwide mass protest;.
- To commit to maintaining the required vigilance needed to hold government accountable on its assurances and governance in general; to commit to the terminal date of August 19th 2023 within which the issues around the Petroleum price hike will be agreed given the assurances of the President and the National Assembly;
- To go on total strike across the country any day labour leaders are summoned to Court by the government through the NICN; to demand the immediate withdrawal of this litigious terrorism by the Federal Ministry of Justice before the end of work Friday, the 11th of August, 2023; and,
- To embark on a nationwide comprehensive strike beginning Monday 14th of August, 2023 if this contemptuous Court summons is not withdrawn by whosoever initiated it.
The NLC once again commended “the national leadership and all the state officers for the effective coordination of the protest,” and urged “all affiliates and state councils, including the civil society allies to stay further action but to remain focused and eternally vigilant.”
