Tinubu, Sultan to labour: Shelve your planned strike
Union shuns meeting with FG
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar have urged the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to shelve their planned strike billed to commence Tuesday October 3.
Speaking yesterday during a public lecture and special Juma’at prayer to mark the 63rd Independence Anniversary of the country at the National Mosque, Abuja, they appealed to the workers not to embark on the strike.
Tinubu, who was represented by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, reiterated the commitment of his administration to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal.
“The Sultan has talked about the issue of strike by the NLC. I also call on behalf of the president and the entire government that labour leaders should shelve the strike.
“Let’s dialogue, let’s sit together, let’s understand ourselves and let’s look at the prevailing situation in the country. How do we meet this country, the challenges ahead and the current challenges? It is through dialogue that we will be able to solve our problems collectively.
“This government is new and it is working hard to bring succour to the entire people of this country. It has set aside N500billion, and other packages are being unveiled to cushion the effect of subsidy removal. Therefore, we need to support and pray for the government,” Barau noted in a statement by his spokesperson, Ismail Mudashir.
Earlier, the Sultan appealed to the organised labour to shelve the strike, saying they should give the federal government another chance.
“For God’s sake, for Allah’s sake, anybody planning to go on strike should please give the government another chance. Please rethink and give the government another chance,” he said, emphasising the need for the labour leaders to embrace dialogue.
The Sultan, who said he had been involved in the negotiation of the labour leaders and government since 2007, said if the NLC and TUC embarked on strike it would do more harm than good.
Meanwhile, the organised labour yesterday shunned a meeting scheduled by the federal government at 3pm as part of the efforts to prevent a nationwide strike by workers.
Daily Trust Saturday reports that the Chief of Staff to the
President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, were meant to meet with labour leaders at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
But the meeting failed to hold because the labour side did not show up.
Lalong was seen at the Office of the Chief of Staff in preparation for the meeting but the abour leaders did not show up as at 5:30pm.
Efforts to get the reason for their absence were unsuccessful Friday night.
Sources close to the Office of the Chief of Staff said the meeting had been rescheduled sometime over the weekend, saying he could not ascertain the particular day.