The House of Representatives on Wednesday, November 15, resolved to join forces with the Senate to apply legislative diplomacy and interface with the leadership of organised labour with a view to resolving all the issues leading to the ongoing strike.
In a resolution after a lengthy debate on a motion of urgent public importance, the House asked organized labour to suspend the strike action and engage in dialogue with the leadership of the National Assembly to resolve all issue in the interest of the Nigerian people who many members said are suffering from even when it has nothing to do with their welfare.
Deputy speaker of the House, Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, who set the stage for the debate, said the parliament could not pretend not to be aware of what is going on in the country with the strike called by organized labour or pretend that what concerned their constituents does not concern them.
While commending the speaker for efforts he made to ensure that the House plenary hold, it was unworthy for the House not to discuss the situation in the country, adding that like in the past, organised labour should be made to trust the parliament to resolve the issues at stake without taking side with either the government or the unions.
He said the House leadership should meet with their counterpart in the Senate and arrange an immediate meeting with the leadership of labour with a view to giving peace a chance, adding that the economy of the country was bleeding.
The House leader, Prof. Julius Ihonvbare, said even though his first reaction on issues of labour is usually to take sides with Labour, strike is not always the first option to resolving issues, but consultations, dialogue and mobilization.
He said the current strike action by labour came with a speed of light without the necessary consultations and dialogue, even after the government had secured an injunction stopping the strike to allow for further dialogue.
The House Leader said those who are suffering as a result of the strike action are not those who attacked the NLC President in Owerri, adding that things like this cannot be allowed to happen in an economy that wants to recover.
He said organized labour should desist from the ongoing strike and give peace a chance, adding that there was no need for the House to seat when the Nigerian people are suffering.
The minority leader, Hon. Kingsley Chinda, said that the House should step down every other business of the day and take a decision on what to do about the strike action as the nation’s economy shaky, while organized labour should consider the plight of the Nigerian people.
Chinda said: “We must not trivilaise strike for personal gains. We must put the overall interest of the people we claim to defend above every other consideration. I plead with Labour and the executive to have confidence in the National Assembly and allow the leadership step in and resolve the issues.
While appreciating organized Labour for their consistent defence of the rights of the worker, Chairman of the House Committee on Navy, Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gadgi said the House should condemn the strike action because the demand of labour is not acceptable to the parliament.
He said: “The strike is not about removal of fuel subsidy or efforts being made by the government to address the plight of workers. It is about the misunderstanding between the NLC President and some citizens and the government of Imo state. Imo state is just one of the 36 states of the federation.
“Their demand is to arrest and prosecute those who attacked the NLC President, the arrest, prosecution and dismissal of police officers who were allegedly involved in the attack. Should we call strike because of personal interest?
“It is not enough to shut down Nigeria and NLC should not use personal issues to shut down the country. They should fight for the implementation of palliatives as a result of subsidy removal because Nigerians are suffering.”
However, Hon, Babajimi Benson who chair the House Committee on Defence drew the attention of the House to an existing court order stopping the strike, adding that the federal government should file contempt proceedings against the leadership of Labour.
He said the National Assembly inviting them to dialogue will be contempt of court, adding that the House should encourage the Executive to do the needful and file charges against them.
Benson’s position was supported by Hon. Bamidele Salam who argued that in accordance with the provisions of section 6(6b) of the constitution, everybody including the leadership of organized labour are bound to obey any order of court.
Salam said if Nigerians wants the current democracy to work, they must learn to obey orders of court, adding that organized labour cannot choose which order of court they want to obey or not obey, saying the matter should be left in the hands of the court.
Hon. Ben Etababere who said he is a former chairman of PENGASSAN in Delta state, blamed the government for not being proactive enough to nip the crisis in the bid, pointing out that people have resorted to disobeying orders of court because the government does not respect court orders.
Chief Whip of the House, Hon. Usman Bello Kumo said the House must not allow the country to be brought to a standstill, even though they are not out to draw conclusion on who is right or who is wrong.
Kumo said the total number of people who draw salary from the federal government is less than 3 million people. We must focus on the silent majority in the country. Let us not take advantage of every situation to overheat the polity.
He said: “government should honour agreements with trade unions and the unions themselves should appreciate and respect the feelings of Nigerians. We should allow dialogue to address this issue and prevent a breakdown of law and order.”
While also condemning the strike, Hon. Ugonna Ozorigbo who apparently spoke the mind of other lawmakers from Imo state condemned the strike, saying the people of Imo state have been suffering from the strike called by labour for the past 14 days.
He said: “how many of the rich people are affected by the power cut in the state for the past 14 days? It is the poor people who they are supposed to protect that are suffering the effect of the power cut in the state.
“The President has ordered the Inspector General of Police to carry out an investigation. We plead with organized labour to give peace a chance. The people of Imo state are suffering. Ajaero is our son and we want to enjoy him as NLC President. But that cannot happen when the people are suffering.”
