The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, on Thursday said the plan by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to embark on indefinite strike from October 3 was a violation of the subsisting order and disregard to the integrity of the court.
OBSERVERSTIMES recall that the NLC confirmed that no agreement was reached with the Nigerian government to postpone the indefinite strike slated to begin next Tuesday.
This was made known in a statement issued by the NLC’s Head of Information and Public Affairs, Mr Benson Upah, revealing further that no meetings with the government had been scheduled, which could lead to the suspension of the proposed strike.
The NLC’s stance came as the United Action Front of Civil Society, an organised platform of civil society groups and activists announced a sit-in in favour of the indefinite strike.
However, in a letter to the NLC and TUC, and Femi Falana, Fagbemi asked the organised labour to respect the June 5 order issued by the National Industrial Court, restraining both Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) from embarking on any industrial action over fuel subsidy removal and related issues.
Fagbemi asked Falana to prevail on his clients to respect the order of the court and allow room for ongoing negotiations between parties on how to address the challenges associated with the fuel subsidy removal.
According to the letter, he affirmed that from the communique issued by the NLC after its National Executive Council meeting on August 31 and the September 26 joint communique by the Presidents of the NLC and TUC, it was obvious that the proposed strike action was premised principally in furtherance of issues connected with the removal of fuel subsidy, hike in fuel price and consequential matters of making provisions for palliatives and workers welfare.
The AGF said, “The foregoing will afford parties more room for further mutual engagements, for a holistic and sustainable resolution of all outstanding issues on this matter in the overall national interest.”
Meanwhile, copies of the letter have also been sent to the Minister of Labour and Employment, the Chief of Staff to the President, the National Security Adviser, the Inspector General of Police, and the Director General of State Security Service.