Embrace Dialogue, Ozekhome Tells Labour

Constitutional lawyer and human rights activist, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) has called on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to see negotiation as the best way to resolving issues and refrain from embarking on an indefinite nationwide strike.

Ozekhome spoke at the commissioning of 30 units of flats developed by the Iri Construction Nigeria Limited at the weekend in Abuja.

He said strikes have over the years not yielded the desired results for Nigerian workers.

Represented by the chief counsel and head of the chambers of the Mike Ozekhome Law Firm, Barr Benson Igbanoi, he urged Nigerians to render the desired support to its leadership, if it really wants to resolve the myriad of issues confronting the nation.

“The organised labour might have good objective, but in this country, if history is something one should go by, then we might be finding ourselves in a barber’s chair, moving around in one place without really accomplishing anything. It’s one thing to have the strike and it’s another to achieve anything. The longest strike we had in the past lasted for about one week or there about, then afterwards, you go back to square one. I would have thought that it is better negotiations should continue, in that way we can accomplish more things that would benefit the nation”, he stated.

The host and managing director/CEO of the Iri Construction Nigeria Ltd and US military veteran, Captain Greg Iri, said the 30 units of flats would assist in reducing the housing deficit in Nigeria.

Iri who expressed concerns over the nation’s 28 million housing deficit revealed that his company is ready to partner with relevant stakeholders and the government to provide solutions to housing needs of low-and high-income earners within the country.

Responding on security challenges, Iri said those who have the capacity to eradicate the menace are not given the chance due to partiality and lack of fairness.

“The challenges we face as a nation is common to other nations. Some nations have combated it, Nigeria is no different, we can combat the issues if we allow fairness and transparency to prevail. Unfortunately, to be honest with you, those who have the capacity to eradicate this security menace are not given the chance because of partiality and lack of fairness,” he said.