The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Thursday warned the Federal Government against interfering in affairs of organised labour.
According to NLC’s Head of Information and Public Affairs, Benson Upah, the government is working tirelessly to reduce the number of years trade unionists can hold office.
This, Upah said, constitutes a gross interference in the internal running of the trade unions in violation of the Labour Law and ILO Conventions, stating “What concerns the government with the tenure of trade union leaders?
THE WHISTLER had earlier reported that the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) kicked against the Public Service Rules (PSR) 2021 edition, which unilaterally introduced a controversial tenure policy for trade union officers.
Addressing the controversial act, Upah said “We demand that the government put an end to this hybrid war against Congress. However, if the government feels two years is the best tenure to go, it should be two years for everyone including the President of the country.
“We advise the government to stop meddling in the affairs of the Labour Party even as its destabilization campaign against opposition parties has reached a crescendo. Our actions are guided by the decision of a competent court of jurisdiction.
“The insincerity of government is so manifest. They claimed they were selling bags of rice at 40k and had to stop when the rice was being resold at 80k. Up till this moment, no one has been able to tell us where rice was sold at 40k”.
Speaking further Upah said the explanation given by the police Spokesperson, ACP Olumumuyiwa Adejobi that they intended to uncover and arrest a terrorist hibernating in the NLC building does not hold water but an attempt to save face and hide their blunders.
“The police in subsequent media interviews said the suspect is “an international terrorist” with a long history of destabilization of nations including Sudan. The police made other wild and unsubstantiated claims.
“We find the claims contradictory, self-serving and face-saving and intended to cover up their blunders. What were the security personnel doing on the 10th floor when the shop they were after was on the 2nd floor?
“They said they were after this “international crook of foreign descent” and yet came hours after offices had closed. Between the materials they took away and the terrorist, which had more value?
“If the police truly had credible intelligence and if Congress was not their target, what was wrong in taking the leadership of Congress into confidence? And if they felt that would jeopardise the operation, couldn’t they have confided in the leadership at H-hour?
“The police now claim they had necessary legal documents for the raid. We challenge the police to tender those court documents. We pray they are not contrived or procured documents after the act of invasion.
“On the so-called “international terrorist”, for how long did they know of his or her existence? Shouldn’t we Nigerians hold the security personnel accountable for letting the suspect operate with carefree abandon?
“And if they just knew about this “dangerous terrorist”, wouldn’t this constitute a major intelligence failure on the part of the police?
“The police and government should stop playing on our intellect. They should also stop diverting attention from the real issues that still stare us in the face … economic policies that continue to unleash hardship on the people”.
Disassociating itself from the claims of housing a prominent international terrorist, the congress added, “We are not aware of any terrorist in our midst. However, if the government knows of one it should come out with facts and proof it is sure of instead of making the country the butt of jokes in the international circuit”.
However, the congress challenged the police to show proof of its “relationship (landlord-tenant or otherwise) with this alleged terrorist”.
Subsequently, the Congress reiterated its demand for an apology from the police and federal government for the unlawful raid of our headquarters while calling for the release of a NUEE executive (Comrade Opalua Eleojo) who was arrested at a social spot in Abuja.
“We advise the government to stop further acts of intimidation against the Nigeria Labour Congress and indeed against the generality of Nigerians.
“Although we have to the best of our ability done a forensic audit of our premises, we will hold the Nigeria Police Force responsible for any incident at our headquarters or to any of our leaders or members anywhere at any time,” Upah warned.