In a late-night development on Wednesday, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) decided to suspend their nationwide strike, which was initiated in response to the alleged assault on NLC President Joe Ajaero.
The decision followed the intervention of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
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The suspension comes after a meeting that lasted close to an hour, during which the unions reviewed the outcomes of discussions held between their leaders and the National Security Adviser. Tommy Etim, the National Deputy President of the TUC, emphasized that the unions’ trust in Ribadu played a crucial role in the decision to suspend the strike temporarily.
Etim stated,
“The NECs of the NLC and the TUC have suspended the strike. We did this based on our trust in the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, who gave us his word.”
However, the organized Private Sector (OPS) and maritime operators criticized the timing and nature of the strike, asserting that it was ill-timed and misconceived. The OPS, comprising key players in the economy, expressed concerns about the potential impact on the Federal Government’s ability to meet its yearly revenue targets.
The strike was initially triggered by the assault on Joe Ajaero in Owerri, Imo State, during a protest over unpaid salaries for government employees. The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, announced the arrest of two suspects involved in the attack and issued an apology to the organized labour during the meeting with labour leaders in Abuja.
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The temporary suspension raises questions about the strike’s duration, with Tommy Etim stating,
“It is a temporary suspension. We are going to give them some time after which we will meet, and if they fail to meet up, the strike resumes.”
“We listened to the NSA and he listened to us. He noted that Ajaero didn’t do anything wrong by going to Imo State. We must commend the NSA and it is because of him that there is a suspension of the strike.”
Despite the Federal Government securing a restraining order against the unions at the National Industrial Court to prevent the labour action, the unions proceeded with the strike, which began on Tuesday. The ultimatum issued by the labour movement included demands for the arrest of perpetrators and other actions to address their concerns.
