The Federal Government has cautioned the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) against interfering in the activities of the Labour Party, citing potential violations of the Trade Unions Act.
The warning follows the NLC’s refusal to acknowledge Barrister Julius Abure as the Labour Party’s chairman and the issuance of counter-directives by the NLC’s National Transition Committee to party members.
In response to Abure’s inquiry dated July 10, 2024, regarding the NLC’s roles, the Ministry of Labour and Employment sent a clarifying letter on July 31, 2024.
Signed by Falonipe Amos, Director/Registrar of Trade Unions, the letter referenced Section 15 (1) (2) (3) of the Trade Unions Act, which prohibits the use of trade union dues for political purposes unless explicitly allowed by the union’s rules.
The Ministry emphasized that any misuse of union funds for political objectives is a breach of the Act.
The letter stated: “If any of the funds of a trade union are applied to the furtherance of a political objective in contravention of subsection (1) of this section, the trade union and every official thereof shall be guilty of an offence under this Act.”
The Ministry urged the NLC leadership to adhere to these legal provisions and avoid engaging in activities that could undermine the Labour Party’s autonomy.
The directive serves as a clear warning to both the NLC and TUC, reinforcing that their involvement in political activities must comply with statutory regulations.