…Say Action Began Midnight, Tuesday, November 7
…Nationwide Strike To Commence November 14
ABUJA – The organised labour, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), has declared a “total action” against the government of Imo State in protest of the brutalisation of Joe Ajaero, the NLC president.
Barring any change of plans their action commenced as from 12 midnight November 7.
Speaking on Tuesday during a press conference after a joint emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the NLC and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) in Abuja, the organised labour also resolved to commence a nationwide strike on Tuesday, November 14, 2023, if their earlier demands were not met by the federal and Imo State governments.
President of TUC, Comrade Festus Osifo, who declined mention of the manner of action labour has resolved to take on the state and Governor Hope Uzodimma, however, said it was a national action which would zero in on Imo State.
He said: “The NEC of all congresses frowned completely at what happened in Imo, it shouldn’t have happened.
“For the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress leading workers to examine, protest the nonpayment of salary of some of the workers in Imo, to protect the declaration of ghost workers when these people actually go to work every day and several issues that have bedeviled workers in Imo Stat
“We went there without guns, a single machete but only to protest. Protest is something that is in the law. It’s a fundamental position that is purely guided by our constitution, that is guided by International Charter, that is guided by the ILO Convention but unfortunately, Hope Uzodimma organised the police and thought to attack the Nigerian work
“NEC completely frowns at it and resolves as follows that from midnight today, we are going to carry out a national action that is going to zero in on Imo State. These actions are not limited in any form.
“Then Tuesday, next week, there is going to be a total nationwide strike because as at last week, we issued a directive that had some series of actions that were stated therein and none of them as at today have been met, and no attempt whatsoever has been made to address them.”
Also, a communique reached at the end of the joint NEC meeting and sighted by our correspondent partly reads: “Consequently, the NLC/TUC NEC-in-session resolved as follows: to order the immediate withdrawal of services and shutdown of Imo State beginning midnight today. All workers and affiliates are expected to ensure compliance from wherever they are. All flights into and out of Imo State, fuel supplies and electricity be stopped immediately as applicable. All public and private sector workers are to immediately down tools indefinitely.
“That if our demands are still unmet, workers all over the federation shall join in withdrawing their services by midnight Tuesday, the 14th of November, 2023.
“All state councils of NLC & TUC and affiliates are by this resolution mandated to ensure full compliance with NEC’s decision.”
According to the organised labour, “Outraged by the bestial treatment meted out to workers, including Ajaero and journalists, by the police and Imo State government; stunned by the complicity of a federal agency such as the Nigeria Police Force; irritated by the defence of the Imo State Police Command that they only took Comrade Joe Ajaero into protective custody (from where he emerged, battered, concussed, puffed-eyed, debilitated and condemned); worried by the conspiratorial silence of the Federal Government; and the aloofness of the various security agencies who were formally notified of our presence in Imo State but refused to take steps to offer protection; flabbergasted by the audacity and arrogance of Hope Uzodimma who feels emboldened and endorsed by the Nigeria Police; the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria resolved as follows:
“The Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, CP Ahmed Barde, should not only be investigated and deployed out of Imo State for his serial complicitous and unprofessional behaviour and conduct immediately.
“The Area Commander of the Nigeria Police Force and all other officers and men in Owerri through whom the Police Commissioner supervised the brutalisation and humiliation of Comrade Ajaero and other workers be relieved of his office and stripped of his commission.
“Mr. Nwaneri Chinasa, Adviser on Special Duties who supervised the terror on workers and bestial brutality meted out to Congress President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, be arrested immediately and prosecuted for his crimes against workers and the president.
“We demand an immediate, independent and unbiased thorough professional medical examination of Comrade Ajaero in light of the physical and psychological injuries inflicted on him.
“Other workers and journalists subjected to this inhuman treatment by the police and the Hope Uzodimma’s goons be treated by the state and all the properties lost be restored immediately.
“All the outstanding industrial relations issues as previously agreed with the Imo State government be implemented immediately.
“We further resolved that in the event the government fails to comply with any or all of the conditions above-stated, NLC, TUC and their affiliates will no longer guarantee industrial peace in Nigeria beginning Wednesday the 8th of November, 2023 while a joint National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the two labour centres will meet to decide on the next course of action.
“We find it appropriate to let Nigerians know the sequence of events that led to our going to Owerri for a peaceful protest but which was aborted by the police and hoodlums recruited by the state governor. This has become necessary so they do not fall victim to government’s propaganda or police’s disinformation and misinformation.
“We heard police fiction that we disobeyed a court order but we want to know which court order. Our lawyer was in court last week and the matter was adjourned to today.
“Let us assume there was a court order. When was it granted and where was it granted? How was the order obtained and on whom was it served and when?
“Now back to the sequence of events that led to our going to Owerri:
“Government repeatedly observed in breach agreements it voluntarily reached with labour amongst which was the January 9th 2021.
“Non-payment of salaries and pensions for upward of 22 months ….in some instances, 44 months.
“Declaration of 11,000 hard-working workers as ghost workers and diversion of their salaries or emoluments to other uses.
“Serial vandalism of congress secretariat for no just cause.
“Non-implementation of the National Minimum Wage Law causing distortions and pains among the working class in the state.
“Implementation of discriminatory pay policy or practice which deepens poverty.
“A backlog of gratuity arrears stretching to eight years.
“Government’s continued harassment, intimidation of workers or their executives.
“Non-remittance of check-off dues or misappropriation of check-off dues by government.
“Frequent interference by government in internal matters of trade unions to the point government wants to dictate who occupies which post.
“Systematic intimidation of trade unions and trade union leaders, dismantling of trade union structures, regular bullying and beating of workers and denying them access to the fruits of their labour.
“What they are accustomed to is the butcher’s solution which we are better off without. Let us not pretend that we have democracy in Imo.”
