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7 Things FG, Labour Agreed On Before Suspending Strike
The Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have suspended their planned industrial strike scheduled to take off on Wednesday.
This happened after a dialogue with the federal government on Monday night.
The meeting resulted in the signing of a documented agreement between the two labour unions and the federal government.
The document, obtained by FIJ, showed that the labour unions agreed to shelve their intended action following an agreement that the government would constitute some committees to look into the contentious issues.
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Resolution of engagement between the Trade Union Congress (TUC), the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Federal Government to resolve the issues associated with the removal of subsidy on premium motor spirit (petrol) on June 5, 2023.
Following the engagements between the federal government, TUC and the NLC, with the intervention of the Speaker, House of Representatives, to resolve the disputes that arose from the withdrawal of subsidy on PMS, the following resolutions were reached.
1 The federal government, the TUC and the NLC to establish a joint committee to review the proposal for any wage increase or award and establish a framework and timeline for implementation.
2. The federal government, the TUC and the NLC to review World Bank-financed cash transfer scheme and propose inclusion of low-income earners in the program.
3. The federal government, the TUC and the NLC to revive the CNG conversion program earlier agreed with the labour centres in 2021 and work out detailed implementation and timing.
4. The labour centres and the federal government to review issues hindering effective delivery in the education sector and propose solutions for implementation.
5. The labour centres and the federal government to review and establish the framework for completion of the rehabilitation of the nation’s refineries.
6. The federal government to provide a framework for the maintenance of roads and expansion of rail networks across the country.
7. All other demands submitted by the TUC to the federal government will be assessed by the joint committee.
Consequently, the parties agreed as follows:
A. The NLC to suspend the notice of strike forthwith to enable further consultations.
B. The TUC and the NLC to continue the ongoing engagements with the federal government and secure closure on the resolutions above.
C. The labour centres and the federal government to meet on June 19, 2023, to agree on an implementation framework.
Festus Osifo, the TUC president; and Joseph Ajaero, the NLC president; were parts of the unions’ representatives who signed the agreement, while Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker of the House of Representatives, endorsed the communique on behalf of the federal government.
The unions’ grouse with the government emanated from the removal of petrol subsidies, which has sparked fears in the nation.
The Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN has warned against obstructing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from carrying out its lawful duty .
Fagbemi’s warning is contained in a statement in Abuja.
“This is a matter of very grave concern, it is now beyond doubt that the EFCC is given power by the law to invite any person of interest to interact with them in the course of their investigations into any matter, regardless of status.
“Therefore, the least that we can all do when invited, is not to put any obstruction in the way of EFCC, but to honourably answer their invitation.
“A situation where public officials who are themselves subject of protection by law enforcement agents will set up a stratagem of obstruction to the civil and commendable efforts of the EFCC to perform its duty is to say the least, insufferably disquieting’’.
He added that running away from the law will not resolve issues at stake but only exacerbate them.
“Nigeria has a vibrant judicial system that is capable of protecting everyone who follows the rule of law in seeking protection.
“I therefore encourage anyone who has been invited by the EFCC or any other agency to immediately toe the path of decency and civility by honouring such invitation instead of embarking on a temporising self-help and escapism.
“This can only put our country in bad light before the rest of the world’’.
He said institutions of state should be allowed to function effectively and efficiently.
“I stand for the rule of law and will promptly call EFCC, and indeed any other agency to order when there is an indication of any transgressions of the fundamental rights of any Nigerian by any of the agencies’’.
NAN reports that the EFCC had on Wednesday warned members of the public that it was a criminal offence to obstruct officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties.
Section 38(2)(a(b) of the EFCC Establishment Act makes it an offence to prevent officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties. Culprits risk a jail term of not less than five years.
The warning , the EFCC said, became necessary against the background of the increasing tendency by persons and groups under investigation by the Commission to take the laws into their hands by recruiting thugs to obstruct lawful operations of the EFCC.
On several occasions, the anti graft agency said, operatives of the Commission have had to exercise utmost restraint in the face of such provocation to avoid a breakdown of law and order.
Some unknown gunmen have kidnapped Joshua Rogers, the ChannelsTV reporter in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Politics Nigeria learnt that Rogers was picked up close to his residence at Rumuosi in Port Harcourt and to an unknown destination by the gunmen around 9pm on Thursday, April 11.
The reporter was driving his official ChannelsTV branded car when the hoodlums accosted, pointed a gun at him and took him away in the same vehicle.
Rogers was said to be returning from his official assignment in Government House after a trip to Andoni for a government event when the incident happened.
Already, the gunmen were said to have contacted his wife and demanded a N30million ransom for bis release.
His cameraman confirmed the incident and appealed to his abductors to set him free unconditionally.
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