The founder of One Love Family, Satguru Maharaj Ji, has advised labour leaders to reach an agreement with the federal government and call off strikes to avoid disrupting Nigeria’s economy.
Recall Nigeria’s trade unions earlier this week went on a nationwide strike, shutting down the country’s power grid and disrupting flights as they resorted to drastic measures to press the government to hike minimum wages amid a cost-of-living crisis.
In a statement personally signed by Maharaj Ji and made available to the Nigerian Tribune on Tuesday, he stated that the union should not continue with the planned strike by Labour but negotiate and reach an agreement with the federal government.
Maharaj Ji added in the statement that the ongoing strike would have negative repercussions on the overall economy.
“The labour unions suspended the indefinite strike on Tuesday after government officials invited them for negotiations as the industrial action affected power supply for the country’s 200 million people and stranded thousands due to flight cancellations.
“Labour officials, for the first time in Nigeria’s long history of strikes, went to substations housing the country’s electricity grids, chased workers home, and cut off power supply nationwide. This is a heinous crime and a mutiny against the state.
“All airports, including two international ones, were shuttered. Workplaces and schools were closed, and health services were disrupted. Crude oil production—Nigeria’s bread and butter—was also paralysed, likely amounting to a loss of millions of dollars.
“While the arguments put forward by the NLC and TUC on their decision to embark on the indefinite strike are well noted, there is a need to tread with caution on account of the negative repercussions on the overall economy.
“Abandoning negotiations and shutting down the country will have untold hardship on all segments of the country.
“This hard stance will also fatally impact the survival, resilience, productive capacity, and competitive advantage of the more than 39 million strong MSMEs ecosystem,” he said.
Maharaj Ji further explained that MSMEs contribute significantly to economic stability through job creation and wealth creation, as they account for 48 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP and 84 per cent of employment.
He called on the Labour leaders to sheath their swords and go back to the negotiation table. They should stop threatening the lives of Nigerian workers.
According to Maharaj Ji, “It’s the fourth time Nigerian workers have been striking since May last year, when President Tinubu was first elected.
“Last August, resident doctors demanding better pay went on a three-week strike that ravaged the public health sector in defiance of a restraining court order barring them from embarking on the industrial action, and we are yet to determine those who lost their lives.
“The two major labour unions, NLC and TUC, had last year declared a strike action following the brutalization of the NLC president, Joe Ajaero, in Imo State on November 1.
“Mr Ajaero was attacked in Owerri, the state capital, during an NLC protest against the Imo State government over alleged maltreatment of workers in the state.
“This is despite the restraining order issued by the National Industrial Court in Abuja on Friday, stopping the labour unions from embarking on the strike,” he concluded.
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