The Federal Government has declared the proposed nationwide protest and solidarity strike proposed by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC,) over the ongoing 5-month old strike by University lecturers in the country as illegal.
The Federal Government also frowned at the civil aviation workers, for proposing the two-day nationwide protest
NLC had announced that it would embark on a nationwide protest on July 26 and 27 to press home the need to resolve the over five-month-old strike embarked by the four university-based unions.
NLC has earlier told the government that the right to peaceful assembly and protest is a fundamental right guaranteed by the Nigerian constitution and the UN charter on human and people’s rights.
The four unions are the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, the Non-Academic Staff Union of Allied and Educational Institutions, NASU, and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).
Reacting to the proposed strike, Alhaji Mohammed said, “While we’re still on Labour, I think we should also start to interrogate what labour is doing. The NLC is not a political party. The NLC can go on strike or protest if the rights of NLC members are involved.
“What the NLC is planning in the next two days is about interest. There’s no dispute whatsoever between NLC as a body with the federal government. Well yes, there is a dispute between some members of NLC, ASUU, and the Federal Government which is being looked into and NLC itself is a party to the committee that is looking into the solution.
“So calling out people on street protest you begin to wonder, what is the motive of NLC in this matter? But you see here, we do not interrogate what NLC is doing. NLC by its laws, cannot even give out pamphlets. NLC is supposed to be completely insulated from politics. Now, if you declare a dispute with us, yes you can go on strike.
“Even that one would depend on whether certain steps have been taken or not. But this particular NLC, you know, asking and mobilizing people to come out on strike on July 26 and 27, is clearly on nothing.”
Reminded that NLC was worried about the prolonged strike which is affecting their children as well, he said: “the federal government is as worried as NLC and everybody, but the law is the law.
“What we are saying is that rather than…what I expect NLC to do as an umbrella body is to find the solution, to join Federal Government in finding the solution. They are part of the tripartite agreement that has been negotiating with the federal government on this ASUU issue. So why are they now going out to take sides? I think you also interrogate it yourselves.
“I think it is popular to get NLC out and support but ask yourselves how does that solve the problem? How does that solve the problem?
“What you are going to create is more anarchy. And I think the NLC should think twice about their proposed strike in solidarity with ASUU. Is as if the federal government is doing nothing about ASUU. No. And they’ve been involved in this negotiation all along so why now?”
On his part, the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika while responding to the question on how concerned he was about the threat by the aviation union joining the ASUU strike said, “I’m naturally concerned about this if the aviation unit will shut down in support of ASUU. I would say they do not need to. I will say also that we should begin to look at civil aviation as a critical national security enterprise. It has all the implications.
“We should not contemplate or think about an aviation disaster. We should also think about the general activity of the economy of Nigeria without civilization. It’s okay. This is a democracy, you can push for demands, but in pressing for demands you should be reasonable in doing so.
“Where, the life that you’re trying to promote would be seriously affected and hampered. Where lives can be lost because of your activity. I think it should be reconsidered.
“So, civil aviation workers, I think should not be part of this. Yes, I am concerned, and yes we’ve spoken to them and I don’t think they will join because they know that there’s a huge responsibility of lives on their heads.
“If you’re an air traffic controller, it involves national security. It involves the capability of preventing external aggression and so on. I believe that they are very aware of the enormous responsibility upon them in civil aviation and they should continue to see it so and continue to be as law-abiding as we want them to be.”
Asked if he had had any conversation with the aviation union, Senator Sirika said, “Yes, it is an ongoing thing. So in civil aviation, we speak to them almost daily. They are part of us. They are workers like every other person is and we interact with them.
“In the ministry, we have their representatives who speak to me time and again, probably on daily basis. Yes, we have spoken and I don’t think they will join and yes, we are concerned, but yes also reminding them of the enormous responsibility upon their necks and our necks.”
Further asked if the two weeks directive by the President to resolve the issue is achievable, Ngige said he proposed one week to resolve the issue but the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, volunteered to resolve the issues with ASUU in two weeks adding that he hopes the issue will be resolved at the stipulated time.
The Labour minister advised the unions to table their case before the Ministry of Education whom the President has directed to resolve the issue.
Meanwhile, the Minister Of Labour and Employment Senator Chris Ngige has told journalists that there was no veracity in the media report that President Buhari ordered him on Tuesday to hands-off renegotiations with the striking unions.
Describing the report as false, Ngige said, “Anyway I saw one of the dailies writing something like that today (Wednesday), but the truth of the matter is there is no such thing, it’s just a categorical untruth, there is nothing like hands-off.”
Meanwhile, organised labour said it would not fold its hands when some of its affiliate unions are having issues with the government.
It also said that the law provides that no permission is required for any peaceful assembly and protest.
President of the NLC, Ayuba Wabba, while reacting to the position of the federal government on labours involvement in the proposed solidarity protest said, “Its elementary knowledge that the right to peaceful assembly and protest is a fundamental right guaranteed by the Nigerian constitution, the UN Charter on human and peoples’ right.
“The current crop of our political elites have excised this right. Secondly, NLC is directly involved in the current dispute affecting four of its affiliated trade unions in the university education system namely SANNU, NASU, NAAT, and ASUU. Lai Mohammed is economical with the truth.
“As citizens, our children have been out of school for five months, and their destinies are being destroyed. It is enough reason for a national protest
“The law provides that no permission is required for any peaceful assembly and protest. Lai Mohammed’s statement is unlawful and lacks legal basis in a democratic society.”