The Presidency has described the nationwide strike action by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) as not in the national interest.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.
Lagos Panorama reports that the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress on Monday directed all its members to withdraw their services nationwide from Tuesday over an assault on the President of NLC, Joe Ajaero, in Imo State.
However, the presidency said the strike action by the unions was a flagrant disobedience to a court order and a lack of respect for the judiciary.
Accordingly, the government expressed displeasure that the nation’s economy and social activities should not suffer because of the personal interests of any labour leader.
“This decision by the NLC and TUC, other than being an ego-tripping move, is unwarranted. It is an attempt to blackmail the government by the leadership of the NLC.
“We are still at a loss as to why the NLC and TUC decided to punish a whole country of over 200 million people over a personal matter involving the NLC President, Mr. Joe Ajaero, whose error of judgment led to an assault on him in Owerri while he was planning to incite the workers in Imo State into a needless strike.
“We reiterate that this strike action is illegal, immoral, unjustifiable, and irresponsible,” the statement reads.
A court order was issued four days ago, which restrained the unions from embarking on a strike.
The court order came days after NLC, TUC issued a nationwide strike notice over an assault on Joe Ajaero, the president of NLC, on November 1, 2023, in Imo State.
The nation is already in darkness as electricity workers shut down the national grid around 11:20 pm on Monday in compliance with the NLC’s directive.
