In response to the planned industrial action over a new minimum wage, the leadership of the National Assembly urged organized labor to suspend the strike and continue negotiations with the Federal Government.
According to reports this appeal followed a closed-door meeting between Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, and leaders of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC).
Akpabio, addressing journalists after the meeting, emphasized that the National Assembly intervened because it represents the people.
He stated, “we decided to intervene because we are a peoples parliament. The 10th national Assembly believe strongly that anything that will bring more yoke, more suffering to the people of Nigeria must be avoided.
We also know it is not also a question of strike. In wards, where the hospital are closed, most poor people will die. Those on oxygen will die. Goods and services will not move freely. Productivity will reduce drastically.”
Despite this plea, labor leaders maintained that they could not unilaterally call off the strike.
TUC President Festus Osifo explained, “it is not possible for us to sit here and call off the industrial action, because there was condition precedent given to us by our men.
We have listened to them and we will take their plea to our organ. For now, we don’t have the power to call off the industrial action.
The industrial action will continue.”
