NLC STRIKE: Reps Appeal Dialogue Against Protest, Assured Intervention
By Urube Peter, Abuja
The House of Representatives is aware that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has insisted on proceeding on the planned peaceful protest scheduled for Wednesday, August 2, 2023, despite appeals by the Federal Government and interest groups to shelve the industrial action.
As people’s representatives, we empathized with Nigerians on account of the hardship being experienced as a result of the removal of fuel subsidy. We equally acknowledged the rights of the NLC/Nigerians to carry out peaceful protests as a means of clamouring for relief for Nigerian workers as we go through these challenging times.
The House of Representatives is appealing the NLC and allied labour unions to please call off the planned peaceful protest and embrace continuos dialogue without worsening the current hardship Nigerians are facing.
More importantly, we know that building a progressive and prosperous nation requires hard and far-reaching decisions, which must be taken in the collective interest of the people, and see reason with the decision of the Federal Government to take the bull by the horn in the interest of long term economic growth and stability.
In this Media address to house press core, Hon Akin Rotimi, Jr., House Spokesman/Chairman, Committee on Media and Public Affairs said, as people’s representatives we will continue to engage the Executive arm of government to expedite the implementation of the palliative measures announced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his broadcast on Monday, and urge for the Federal Government to consider additional measures that would bring immediate respite to the people, while we wait to see the impact of the measures already announced in the coming months. The gap between the removal of fuel subsidy and the tangible outcomes of palliative measures must be shortened for the sake of poor and vulnerable Nigerians.
Accordingly, we call on the leadership of the NLC and other labour unions in Nigeria to please divert their energies to join the House of Representatives in continous engagement with the Executive arm, to achieve expedited implementation of the programmes and push for additional immediate measures to provide succor for Nigerians.
It is our considered opinion that embarking on a protest at this time would in effect, shutdown our economy and further disrupt the lives of Nigerians, and therefore not in our best interest.
The House of Representatives once again appeals to the NLC and allied labour unions to please call off the planned peaceful protest and embrace continuos dialogue as a means of achieving the best interest of hardworking Nigerian workers, without worsening the current hardship they are facing
