Govt, Labour in talks, says PTF

 Bolaji Ogundele, Abuja

LABOUR is on the same page with the Federal Government on the measures being adopted to contain the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Nigeria, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha said on Thursday.

The SGF, who is Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 Control, cleared the air on the fear expressed by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC).

Mustapha spoke at the daily briefing by members of his committee in Abuja.

According to him, he and the NLC President, Ayuba Waba, met in Abuja early yesterday and that the Labour leader offered suggestion on the way forward in the national response efforts.

The SGF said: “I believe that he’s consulting all over the world; listening to his workers in different countries and also taking experiences of how other nations are dealing with the lockdown because the entire world is on a lockdown.

“Some, who had the infection earlier, are beginning to ease out the lockdown as they have succeeded in flattening the curve and they begin to move into bringing their nations back into productive sessions and also getting their systems back into life.

“So, there’s no threat from Labour; we are consulting with them. They have opinions that they share with us and at every step of what we have done thus far, we have kept contact with the working class, to ensure that at least, their views are adequately taken.”

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He dismissed fears of any adverse action by the NLC, saying the government was in talk with the union’s leadership.

In a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, the NLC boss warned of possible breakdown of law and order if the ongoing lockdown is extended, raising concerns over workers’ plight.

But PTF chair said the government was making progress in the fight against the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and that the NLC was being updated regularly.

”There’s no threat from Labour. As matter of fact, the reason I was slightly late to this press conference was because the President of the NLC, Comrade Ayuba Waba was with me. He had written a letter, quite alright.

“He was also in the same manner, suggesting ways – you know they represent the working class – they also listen to what is happening, they see what is happening in different climes. Ayuba Waba is not only the President of NLC, he’s also the International President of the Labour Movement.”