The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday said it will embark on three days warning strike immediately after today and tomorrow’s nationwide protest.
The congress members are protesting today nationwide in demand that the federal government resolve all the lingering industrial disputes between it and all the university-based unions.
NLC national president, Comrade Ayuba Wabba who hinted the development to journalists at the sideline of the ongoing 18th NLC Rain School, 2022 in Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State, stated that the congress may likely go on indefinite strike should government fail to resolve their demands.
Wabba insisted that the protest happening today is not a solidarity type but the congress’ protest against government actions that lead to universities being shutdown, adding that all the unions directly involved in the strike are NLC affiliates.
He said, “We have taken three levels of decision, first is the protest which is going to be national tomorrow and after the protest, a three days national warning strike will start, and if they fail to resolve the issues and bring back our kids to school, we go on indefinite strike. That is the decision of our National Executive Council and what will be helpful for them is to check the timeline we have given for them to resolve the issues, we are optimistic that they will be willing this time because we are also willing to get our children back to school.”
In Katsina State, 28 affiliate members of NLC have agreed to participate in the nationwide protest in solidarity with the ongoing strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASSU).
The state chairman of the union, Comrade Husseini Hamisu, told LEADERSHIP of its readiness to join the protest in Katsina State, explaining that the protest is in line with the resolution reached in the last national executive meeting in June this year. He stressed that a letter was sent to all state councils to participate in the said protest.
He explains, “We are prepared to join the nationwide protest scheduled for tomorrow. We’ve consulted all the major stakeholders for the exercise and it would be peaceful. Our main purpose is to inform the public that we are not happy with the way the federal government is going about its negotiations with the ASSU strike.”
Ahead of the protest, the Plateau State government has ordered security beef up in the state. In a statement issued in Jos by the commissioner for information and communication, Hon Dan Manjang, directed the security agencies to be on the alert to ensure compliance with the relevant ban that prohibits such procession.
According to him, while the state government is aware that workers have a right to air their grievances, the state however wishes to remind them that the ban on any form of procession under whatever guise is still in force in Plateau State.
He said in this light, therefore, that the state government wishes to advise against the holding of the planned protest as it will be in contravention of the existing ban.
“The state government thereby advises that such decision if contemplated by the state chapter of the NLC be rescinded in the interest of peace and security of Plateau,” he said.
This is more so that government will not fold its arms and watch our hard earned peace currently being enjoyed across the State jeorpardised in an event that such solidarity protest is hijacked by hoodlums for pecuniary and other negative purposes.
The commissioner further disclosed that the office of the Head of Civil Service, has been directed to therefore act appropriately and dialogue with labour and its officials in the state.
The state government enjoined all law-abiding citizens to go about their normal duties without any fear of molestation as the security of their lives and property is guaranteed.
Meanwhile, all is set for a mega protest by the organised labour in Gombe State under the aegis of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) today, in solidarity with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The state chairman of the congress, Mohammed Adamu Musa disclosed this exclusively to our correspondent in a phone interview. He said they would occupy the major streets in the state capital and finally converge at the Government House Gombe where they would read their message.
Also commenting on the protest, the commissioner of police in charge of the state, Ishola Babaita said the command has put all measures in place to ensure that the protest is peaceful.
According to him, adequate police men were assigned to give protection to the protesters and ensure it is not hijacked by hoodlums.
The NLC in Delta State chapter has also resolved to join the nationwide protest which has been slated for today and tomorrow.
This came against the backdrop of the Delta State Police command’s advice against going ahead with the planned protest, describing it as illegal. The scheduled protest is in solidarity with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) over the continued closure of public universities due to the industrial action embarked upon by university lecturers over its dispute with the federal government.
This was made known by the general secretary of the NLC, Delta State, Comrade lnnocent Ofoyande, saying the body has mobilised all affiliate unions in the state for the protest.
The state NLC urged its members to mobilise massively and actively to participate in the NLC/ASUU solidarity protest against the continued closure of the country’s tertiary institutions taking off from the NLC Secretariat this morning.
“All members of the union are enjoined to mobilize massively and actively participate in the NLC/ASUU solidarity protest against the continued closure of the nation’s tertiary institutions scheduled for 26th /27th July, 2022.
‘’You are encouraged to work with the leadership of NLC in Delta State with a view to having a successful outing. We have made arrangements for security to make sure the peaceful protest is successful,’’ he said.
But a police source in the state police headquarters who does not want his name mentioned revealed that the command may apprehend those who embarked on the strike and may not provide cover for the protesters as the feelers from the command is that the protest is illegal.
“The federal government has declared the protest as illegal. In that case what do you want the police authority in Delta State to do. We have not issued any approval for the protest, you should know what that means.
“If workers mobilise or the protest, the police will mobilise against it too. We won’t encourage lawlessness; we don’t want hoodlums to hijack the protest and make the state ungovernable. There is no approval and workers should not take laws into their hands,” the source disclosed.
