The Minister of Labour and Employment, Rt Hon Simon Lalong, has said that the meeting between the Federal government and organised labour over the ongoing strike at the National Security Adviser (NSA) office was fruitful, and he does not expect the industrial action to last for long.
The Minister told journalists at the end of the meeting, “The meeting is especially in respect to what happened in Imo. We came to this meeting with very heavy security considerations. That is why the meeting is held in the office of the National Security Adviser.
“All the labour leaders are also here with us. And we had a very, very fruitful discussion. The discussion was very genuine and very frank, and they agreed to take back to their constituency with a plea to lift the strike so that we can continue our deliberation.
“No commitment yet, but it is an ongoing discussion, and we don’t expect the strike to go on for long.”
On their part, the President of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Comrade Festus Osifo, said, “We came here for a meeting. The NSA invited us. The two Ministers from the Labour and Employment also participated. We had a robust conversation. A lot of assurances were given in furtherance of the release that was made by the NSA this morning that some people have been apprehended and that they will coordinate the investigation. We also told him our part of the story.
“But at the end of the day, they made several appeals to us and several promises on what they are going to do and what they have done currently. We said we would go back and re-appraise all our conversations, and then we would communicate accordingly.
“The strike was caused by something, and the strike is a symptom of a problem. It is the problem we came here to have a conversation on. And with all the assurances they have given us, with the office of the NSA promising to coordinate everything, every discussion we have had here, we need to take it back, examine it and take a decision.”
Meanwhile, a statement released earlier by the NLC Head of Information, Comrade Benson Upah, said, “We would want Nigerians not to lend themselves to the ‘private matter’ narrative being promoted by agents of the government, as it is intended to divert attention from the real issues.
“Even as no freedom can be greater than the personal liberty of an individual in a popular democracy, which was violently and viciously violated in Imo, what the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria are fighting through this strike action are serial acts of violence/assault and impunity committed against individuals and organizations by the Nigeria Police Force or under their watchful eye or supervision.
“We make haste to cite three instances here, even as there are several others within the brief life of this government. We recall the despicable role of the police in the forceful seizure of the offices of NURTW, RTEAN, and NUPENG.
“This strike, among other things, is a protest against this reprehensible impunity which is fast becoming the signature of this government.
“The arrest, beating, and torture of Comrade Joe Ajaero represent the raising of the stakes in this culture of harassment and intimidation, and we have no apology for resisting this through a strike.
“For those not in the know, tyranny begins with the loss of personal liberty through the negative deployment of state power through its agents.
“Critics of labour unions forget that they could be the next victims tomorrow.
“Finally, we demand that the government of President Bola Tinubu nip in the bud this burgeoning culture of harassment, intimidation, violence, and terror!
“We will not back down until we secure a commitment from the government to govern by the prescribed laws of the land. We are clear about our objectives, and we are not in need of approval ratings from agents of government passing themselves off as our friends.
“The gradual closing of democratic space is a clear and present danger or tendency we can ill afford to ignore.”
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