The well publicized plan of the organized labour to embark on an industrial strike action would inevitably be an ill wind that would blow no one, no good.
As a strategic, civil trenches social stakeholder, we are deeply disturbed with the challenges of socio-economic quagmire confronting Nigerians and the Government at this perilous juncture in our history.
We strongly advise that the leadership of Trade Unions bureaucracy in the country should reconsider its decisions for strike action and mass protests over the attendant hardships that occasioned the Federal Government’s removal of fuel subsidy.
As much as we sympathize with our compatriots on the prevailing, harsh economic conditions in the country, we call for fortitude and forbearance for the nation and citizens to be able to enjoy the imminent benefits of the new reform policies.
The labour has issued a public notice to commence an indefinite, national industrial strike action on Tuesday, 3rd October 2023. The leadership of the organized labour – Trade Union Congress and Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC/TUC, through a joint session of its National Organs resolved to mount further pressure on the Federal Government to take palpable, affirmative social intervention measure to ameliorate the sufferings of citizens following the removal of Fuel Subsidy and escalating inflationary index in country.
Labour is agitated against the slow paced, almost foot dragging attitudes of the Government to implement promised social reliefs intervention, “Subsidy Palliatives” for the workers.
Labour is disturbed that despite Government’s admission to have made Trillions of Naira savings from the removal of fuel subsidy policy, it is seemingly reluctant to carry out its promised “ Incremental Renumeration Awards” for workers.
It is however needed to emphatically reiterate that as crucial as the wage workers may be in the society, it is neither the sole, social force nor, the majority in our society.
Therefore, the organized labour must never throw caution to the winds in the determination of its actions or, inactions. No social group should hold the nation at
Ransome. Needless to state here that the teeming majority of our citizens engaged in the informal services sector, artisans, trading, farming and casual works to eke daily sustenance. Any disruption of the economy and production processes that would adversely affect other members of our society must be taken after grave and sober considerations.
The Organized Private sector, OPS, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, National Chambers of Commerce, Mines and Industries, NACCIMA, have loudly articulated their apprehension that the strike by labour would provoke fatal, negative consequences on their operations, production processes, businesses, as well as the national economy. They expressed fears that private business under prevalent, precarious national economic conditions is highly vulnerable to collapse with any slight uncertainties or jeopardy of the production man-hour. They opined that employers in order to keep afloat, may have no other viable option that to consider staff rationalizations, which would aggravate the already acute unemployment crisis in the country. It is our hope that the bureaucracy of organized labour would consider temporary sacrifices to safe jobs of millions of Nigerians.
If the naked truth must be told, our national economy has been in reverse gear for decades. We are barely surviving on borrowed time with huge dependence on foreign markets and economy. This is further compounded by the rudderless mismanagement of our banking and financial sector by Godwin Emefiele leadership of the apex bank, Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu demonstrated uncommon courage in unfolding fundamental reform policies in the financial sector and the Oil and Gas industry, which is the mainstay of our macro economy.
Technocrats and experts within the country, continental Africa and globally have applauded the reform policy initiatives of the President. The consensus is that the economic hiccups across the country are temporary symptoms of the bitter pills of pertinent reforms for the nations socio-economic transformations and industrial advancement.
It may be useful to emphasize that at the twist in the history of our efforts at nation building, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has demonstrated the courage to do needful to reform, re-jig and reposition of our national economy. The Federal Government reforms initiatives have been applauded by experts within the country, continentally and globally.
Premium priorities have been given to the reforms of the banking and financial sector which has witnessed the removal of Godwin Emefiele led rudderless leadership of the apex bank, the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. The reforms in the Oil and Gas industry were initialed with the removal of fuel subsidy, and plans have been put in place for the four nation’s moribund refineries to commence operations in a staggered schedule, starting with the Port Harcourt Refinery in December 2023.
Just as the Speaker of the House of Representatives has called on Labour to keep the windows, doors and Corridors of Social Dialogue widely open, we are apt to call on all conscientious Nigerian citizens, religious cultural and traditional leaders, elder statesmen to join hands with vibrant coalition of civil society organisations to prevail on the leadership to see patriotic reasoning and shelf its planned industrial strike actions in the larger interest of the common man, restoration of the national economy and our continued, viable corporate existence. We are confident that President Tinubu would activate steps to address the demands of Workers before the expiration of deadline on Tuesday.
E-SIGNED:
BALOGUN HAMEED
Convener
Frontline Socio – Economy Research Centre
07086601465
OMOTEHINSE ALEX
Secretary
Centre for Human and Socio-economic Right
08038007036
OMOTAJE OLAWALE SAINT
Executive Director
WorkBond International Network (WIN)
08106786992
COALITION OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS ;-
Network Alliance for Global Challenge
Good Governance for the masses
Centre for Human Rights Advocacy
Lawyers Without Borders, Abuja
Youth Initiative Agenda for Democratic Process
Southwest People Parliamentary Agenda
Yoruba Youth Assembly
Peace Initiative For Better Nigeria
Boarders People’s Rights Agenda
Youth League Academy
