Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige has raised the hope that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)’s planned strike against cash caused caused by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) scheduled to commence tomorrow may not hold because the government has arrested it.
Ngige made this disclosure yesterday while fielding questions at a briefing organised as ed by the Presidential Media Team at the Presidential Villa.
Recall that the ultimatum issued on the CBN and commercial banks to make cash available to the people expired last Friday with the about union’s threat to beging picketing of the banks alongside a nationwide protest beginning from tomorrow (Wednesday).
According to the minister, the stroke may have been averted with the dialogues between the CBN and coordinated by his ministry.
The Minister, who was accompanied by the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, and other senior officials of the Ministry, said as at the moment, the issue to be discussed by NLC in National Executive Council meeting would no longer be issues of protest, which he said had already been apprehended.
“Now they have all answered our calls because we are the Chief Conciliators. In my opening remark I said I’ve noticed that there’s already a dialogue going on and there’s also implementation and the Nigerian Labour Congress agreed that there was some thawing at the surface of the icing that was there.
“They said they will call up their National Executive Council meeting because the initial decision to give that ultimatum was given by this same Council. Members of the Council reside in the states and in the local governments, so that they will come up today, which is Tuesday, the 28th, to review the situation because much as it is, the important thing is that we have emphasised to them that we have apprehended this dispute.
“By Section 7:8 of Trade Dispute Act, once the Minister apprehends and starts conciliation on it, you maintain status quo ante bellum. So they have gone back now to review the situation. If they’re not satisfied with what they’re see, they will come back to me and I’ll invite the CBN again.
“But for now, the issue of discussion is no longer strike, the issue of discussion is implementation and how far it’s gone and how far it affects Nigerian workers and the general population.
“So that is it, the final decision will be done today by NEC and they will then do a resolution, of course, inform me and CBN what their resolution is. But like I said, we have apprehended and we are now conciliating”, he assured.
