Abuja-based Coalition of Nigeria Civil Society Forum has called on organized labour to shelve its decision to embark on a warning strike, saying there are several issues afflicting the nation that Labour could help proffer solutions to.
At a news conference Thursday in Abuja, Convener of the Coalition, Dr Godwin Abutu said Nigerians had since lost hope in the Nigeria Labour Congress NLC and the Trade Union Congress TUC, accusing them of selling out during past negotiations with the government.
He said; “Granted that Nigerians are going through difficult times at the moment, but the Government has given assurances daily of rallying round the clock to ameliorate the sufferings of our people with different incentives that have been sabotaged by even state governors who instead of standing with the people are busy embezzling the palliatives meant for the masses.
“The NLC/TUC chapters in those states as usual, have played the toothless bulldog scenario they are known for and Nigerians keep suffering under their watchful eyes.
“While we are not worried at the empty and baseless threats to drag the Government through the strike, we are once again concerned that these groups have always used these threats to achieve other things.
“Even though the NLC/TUC further contradicted itself by abandoning the wage negotiation table set up by government to improve the wages of workers to go and embark on this macabre dance that has no head or tail, we expected the leadership of this trade unions to have contributed their opinion of how we could come out of this quagmire with such a privilege rather than embarking on this wild goose chase.
“It is common knowledge that embarking on strike has never resolved any problem faced by the Nigerian masses recently. The leadership of the NLC/TUC should organize itself to contribute intellectually to the common challenges we have now rather than sabotaging the system.
“We all called for the removal of fuel subsidy in this country and now that it is here it is our responsibility to make sure that it has come to stay. Whatever challenges that have accompanied that policy should be collectively resolved by us and not frustrate a policy that has seen more revenue in our federating units and local governments.
“The height of it is the attitude of our state Governors who rather than take advantage of this policy to bring development close to our people are rather also sabotaging the system by doing nothing to thr extent that some are still owing workers salaries and arrears.
“Barely 24 hours after we watched with amazement how the senate president Senator Godswill Akpabio announced that each state Governor was given N30 billion to subsidize food items to reduce the effect of hunger in the land, we are yet to see any state government subsidizing to regulate the prices of commodities in the markets. We recall how the palliatives given in December were distributed among their cronies and it never got to the masses as planned.
“There are also threats by the Fulani Nationality Movement and the Miyetti Allah Koutal Hore to ensure that there is no peace in the country unless they are allowed to take over farm lands for their cattle to graze.
“These critical issues we have on our hands are ignored by the leadership of NLC/TUC and their only option is warning strike. We urge them to join us as patriots in this country to holistically assess our situation from all angles and contribute our quota to the development of our dear country.
“The Nigeria civil society forum therefore wishes to give the NLC/TUC 24 hours to drop its idea of a warning strike and come to the round table were patriotic Nigerians are concerned and are doing everything humanly possible to make sure we curb this hunger, stabilize our currency and secure our people”, Abutu demanded.
