THE Abia State chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Uchenna Obigwe, yesterday warned parents in the state against allowing their children to go to school He also said that any parent who ignored the warning would be doing so at his or her own risk. Describing the indefinite strike declared by a faction of the Nigeria Labour Congress as successful, Obigwe boasted that the NLC in the state had forced all the private schools in the state capital to shut down. He said the branch of NLC in the state had successfully done the same in Aba the previous day. “Any parent who allows his child to go to school from Monday does so at his own risk,” he declared. Obigwe, has described the indefinite strike action embarked upon by Go to school, risk your lives, Abia NLC warns students the union as a successful exercise in the state. Obigwe, who monitored the event fom Abuja, said the NLC in the state had succeeded in shutting down the state in compliance with the directive from the national body led by Comrade Ayuba Wabba. Speaking with The Nation in Umuahia on the strike action, Obigwe said although he was not around, the fillers he got from his lieutenants showed that it was a huge success, bearing in mind that it had just started. Obigwe said that after their meeting on Friday last week, he created three zones, namely Aba, Ohafia and Umuahia. “So when I was in Abuja, after agreeing to go on with the strike, I informed them and they went into action, which has been successfully achieved, “As I talk with you now, Aba has been shut down completely while Umuahia has gone the same way. Even the banks in the state have been shut down, as well as private schools.” The Abia NLC chair accused the federal government of insincerity, saying it had introduced the issue of minimum wage while the union was talking about reduction in both electricity tariff and pump price of fuel. Obigwe said the issue of increased minimum wage is a constitutional one which had been agreed must be reviewed every five years. “But they have decided to introduce it to bring confusion, knowing that electricity tariff and pump price affects everyone,” he said.
Tag: NLC
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Ebonyi NLC chair hospitalised after clash with police
The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ebonyi State Chapter, Comrade Ikechukwu Nwafor, has been hospitalized at the emergency ward of the Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (FETHA).
His admission into hospital followed an encounter he had with the Nigeria Police Force on Thursday .
Mr Nwafor slumped after he was released by the police yesterday and was immediately rushed to the hospital where he was still receiving treatment at press time.
The NLC chairman alongside other labour leaders in the state, was tear-gassed, thoroughly beaten, thrown into a Toyoata Hilux van belonging to the police and taken to Ebonyi State Police headquarters where he was detained by Operatives of the Command.
The police were said to have intercepted the NLC members at Pastoral Centre along old Abakaliki-Enugu Expressway and ordered them to move back to their office but they insisted on continuing the peaceful protest; a situation that angered the police.
Nwafor was seen rolling on the ground while the police officers made up of members of the Anti-robbery Squad were hitting him hard just as other NLC members who were in the train had their share of the brutality.
Speaking on his hospital bed, Nwafor decried the action of the police, saying that he and his colleagues were treated like common criminals.
He said they were indiscriminately attacked by the police who also seized their bus and phones.
He said: “Our greatest surprise was that this team was led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, and he was commanding his men to deal with me.
“Even when I was on the ground, he was matching on me and ordered about five of them to lift me and throw me into a Hilux van.”
He alleged that the state Commissioner of Police, Peace Ibekwe Abdallah, confirmed through her responses when he was taken to her office that she was the one who ordered the attack on him and his colleagues.
He also alleged that the CP said the union undermined her office for embarking on the protest without getting her approval, an allegation he denied, saying he notified her through writing and the CP attested that she received it.
Nwafor also claimed that the men of Department of State Security Services (DSS) sent to provide security for them were also attacked by the police.
He said: “We even gave the police the letter before the DSS and the DSS sent their men. They were on the crew with their vehicle, following us and guiding what we were doing.
“But to our greatest surprise, the police did not consider this. One of the DSS men was also attacked by the police while his gun and phones were forcibly collected from him.
“And before the CP, they checked his phone to make sure he did not video anything that happened.”
He said he had notified the national leadership of the NLC who promised to follow up the matter.
But the Commissioner of Police denied that the workers were attacked.
Describing the protest as an unlawful assembly which could lead to breakdown of law and order, Ibekwe maintained that her men used minimal force to disperse the crowd, adding that the protesters did not inform the Police before embarking on the protest.
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Why we pulled out of strike, by NLC faction, NUPENG
The Joe Ajaero-led faction of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) on Friday said they refused to join the nation-wide strike called by the Ayuba Wabba-led NLC because the Federal Government responded to their demand to arrange a meeting with stakeholders.
At a press conference in Lagos addressed by Ajaero and NUPENG president, Achese Igwe, the labour leaders said strike would have been the last option if talks with the government had failed.
Ajaero said his faction of the NLC held productive talks with the government, including the agreement to set up a panel on palliatives to cushion the effect of the petrol price increase.
According to him, both factions of the NLC could have worked together on the strike, but, according to him, the Wabba-faction walked out of a meeting with the government, insisting that the Ajaero faction must not be part of it.
“If not for the unfortunate incident that happened that day, maybe we would have been together. Maybe it’s an ego thing,” Ajaero said.
Besides, he said before a strike action is declared, a 21-day ultimatum ought to be given, not three days.
He called for transparency in the management of the palliatives, saying the refineries should be fixed or new ones built while more jobs must be created.
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Tinubu to NLC: Let’s return to negotiation table
The National Leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has appealed to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to suspend the ongoing nationwide strike called by the union to protest the fuel price hike and return to the negotiation table with government.
But the president of the NLC, Ayuba Wabba, said it was unfortunate that the government decided to play the divide and rule tactics, negotiating simultaneously with the NLC and the Joe Ajaero- led faction which he said control only six of the 43 affiliates groups in the congress.
The former Lagos State governor was accompanied on the visit by Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola, former NLC president, Abdulwahid Omar, former Director -General of the National Orientation Agency, Alhaji Idi Farouk, Senators Kabiru Marafa and Suleiman Othman Hunkuyk and Abdulkarjm Daiyabu.
Tinubu, who spoke at a meeting with the leadership of the NLC, promised to lead the congress delegation to the government with a view to addressing the contending issues that led to the strike.
He told the NLC leadership that organised labour was not the enemy of the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and will never be the enemy of government saying, “I have come to appeal to you to suspend the action you have embarked upon and return to the negotiating table.”
He told the labour leaders that as the largest economy in Africa, Nigeria can compete with other countries across the globe only if the right policies are put in place to drive the economy.
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Tinubu meets NLC leaders, calls resumption of negotiations
The National Leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appealed to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to call of the ongoing nationwide strike as a result of the increase in the price of petrol and return to the negotiating table with government.
Tinubu who spoke at a meeting with the leadership of the NLC promised to lead the NLC delegation to the government with a view to addressing the contending issues that led to the strike.
He told the NLC leadership that organised labour were not the enemies of the Buhari government and will never be the enemy of government.“I have come to appeal to you to suspend the action you have embarked upon and return to the negotiating table,” Tinubu pleaded.
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NLC Chairman slumps in Ebonyi
Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ebonyi State Chapter, Comrade Ikechukwu Nwafor has been hospitalized at emergency ward of the Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (FETHA) following his bitter encounter with Nigeria Police Force on Thursday.
Mr Nwafor slumped after he was released yesterday by police and was immediately rushed to the hospital where he was still receiving treatment at press time.
The NLC Chairman alongside other Labour leaders in the state, was tear-gassed, thoroughly beaten, thrown into a police hilux van and taken to Ebonyi state police headquarters where he was detained by Operatives of the Command.
His crime? Leading a peaceful protest staged by NLC members in the state against the increase in electricity tariff and fuel pump price by Federal Government.
The police were said to have intercepted the NLC members at Pastoral Centre along old Abakaliki-Enugu expressway and ordered them to move back to their office but they resisted and insisted on continuing the peaceful protest, a resistance which angered the police who used force on them.
Nwafor was seen rolling on the ground while the police officers made up of Anti-robbery Squad were hitting him hard just as other NLC members who were in the train had their fair share of the brutality.
Speaking on his hospital bed, Nwafor decried the action of the police saying they were handled like common criminals, alleging that they were indiscriminately attacked and their bus and phones seized.
He said” our greatest surprise was that this team was led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations and he was commanding his men to deal with me and even when I was on the ground he was matching me and ordered about five of them to lift me and throw me into a hilux van”.
He alleged that the state Commissioner of Police,CP Peace Ibekwe Abdallah, confirmed through her responses when he was taken to her office she was the one who ordered the attack on him and his colleagues.
He alleged the CP said the Union undermined her office for embarking on the protest without getting her approval, an allegation he denied, saying he notified her through writing and the CP attested she received it.
Nwafor claimed even the men of Department of State Security Services, (DSS), sent to provide security for them were also attacked by police.
He said:”We even gave the police the letter before DSS and the DSS sent their men, they were on the crew with their vehicle following us and guiding what we were doing.
“But to our greatest surprise, police did not consider this, one of the DSS men was also attacked by police and his gun and phones collected forcefully from him. And before the CP, they checked his phone to make sure he did not video anything that happened”.
He said he has communicated the national leadership of NLC who has promised to follow up the matter.
The chairman however, accused the CP of acting a script which he was yet to understand recalling how the police had been trailing him prior to the incident.
But the Police CP Ibekwe denied that the workers were attacked.
CP Ibekwe who described the protest as an unlawful assembly which could lead to breakdown of law and order maintained that her men used minimal force to disperse the crowd adding that the protesters did not inform the Police before embarking on the protest.
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Don’t intimidate NLC, says Sani
Chairman, Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts Senator Shehu Sani has warned against intimidation and harassment of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
A statement by the lawmaker said: “The systemic and orchestrated campaign of calumny against the Nigeria Labour Congress must stop. The NLC is the umbrella body formally recognised to defend the interests of workers and must be respected as such. Campaign of calumny and blackmail against the NLC and its leaders, simply for speaking out and standing up for their traditional constituents, must stop.
“We must appreciate the NLC for standing by the masses over the years and its contribution to the realisation of political change. NLC has the right to protest or opt for dialogue, or not.
“We joined and applauded the NLC for protesting price hike in the past; it’s hypocritical to condemn it now for its principled stand on same issue. Our quest for justice and equity must not depend upon the government or persons in power, but upon the matters of principles at hand.
“The cloud of intimidation and blackmail against people for expressing their objections must end. We are in a state where dissent is equated to disloyalty; we must learn to tolerate views and positions different from our own, no matter how unpopular. If we must all agree on all issues at all times, democracy couldn’t have been “invented.
“I urge labour to continue to dialogue while I condemn all acts of treacherous intimidation against its leaders.”
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NLC raises enforcement panel as strike fails in Kano
Workers in Kano State shunned the strike order as they resumed for work on its day-two. This development has forced the state NLC to raise an enforcement committee to ensure compliance.
Chairman Comrade Ado Minjibir said there was no going back on the struggle until government reverts the price.
He said banks and other private organisations were being monitored, adding that the union will not force anyone to join the struggle.
Minjibir described the court order restraining the strike as mere propaganda, noting that the union will also mobilise for mass protest on Saturday. He insisted that the struggle must continue until they reach a logical conclusion.
Our Reporter who monitored the situation reports that the enforcement committee besieged the entrance of the secretariat and ordered workers to return home.
Offices of the Federal Secretariat along Katsina Road were locked and union members were sighted chanting solidarity songs.
Major hospitals like the Abdullahi Wase Specialists Hospital and Murtala Muhammad Specialist hospital offered skeletal services to patients.
Banks opened early but closed by 1pm after labour leaders prevailed on them. Major markets also operated fully as business activities boomed.
Private and public schools were opened as students were seen rushing to schools and closed at the normal time.
Market leaders had earlier disassociated themselves from the strike. National Chairman of the Harmonised Trade Unions, Alhaji Bature Abdulaziz, and the state chairman of the National Chamber of Indigenous Contractors, Alhaji Auduwa Maitangaran, urged traders to ignore the order.
Security agents were, however, deployed to strategic locations to maintain peace and order.
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NLC to Saraki: The strike continues
The president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba and his team, on Friday met for over 40 minutes behind closed-doors with the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, to discuss the ongoing nationwide strike called by labour to protest the fuel price hike.
Wabba, told reporters after the meeting that the strike which enters third day on Friday will continue until the Federal Government resumed talks with the NLC under his leadership.
He told the Senate president that the apex labour union is ready to resume negotiation with the federal government on the matter if invitation is extended to their members.
He denied reports that labour leaders walked out on the government’s negotiation team on Tuesday night.
Wabba said, “We are trying to engage government in negotiations essentially about the trade issue, but importantly about the increase in the pump price of PMS from N87 to N145 and we have assured the Senate president that at no point the union leaders walked out on the government.
“In fact when those issues were presented and the position of government was made known to us, we did not actually agree and we requested that we excuse them. “