Independence Day: Shelve Planned Strike, Nasarawa Speaker Begs NLC, TUC

The Speaker, Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Alh. Ibrahim Abdullahi, has appealed to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) to shelve their planned indefinite strike for the overall development of the country. The call is contained in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Jibrin Gwamna, in Lafia on Sunday. Abdullahi said that the strike would affect the socio-economic activities of the country negatively, hence the need for his appeal for more time and realistic dialogue. “I want to appeal to the leadership of the NlC and TUC to shelve their planned strike in the interest of peace and for the overall development of the country,” he said. The speaker appreciated Nigerians for their loyalty and support to the government since independence in the country. Abdullahi said that the progress and development achieved so far in the country was as a result of citizens loyalty and support to both the past and present governments in the country. The speaker congratulated all Nigerians at 63 and Nasarawa state at 27 on the successful Independence Day celebration and wished them more fruitful years ahead. “I want to appreciate our founding fathers for ensuring that we got independence in the country. “Since we got independence in the country, so far so good, the country is progressing and is moving forward despite our challenges, we are not stagnant as a nation and as a state,” he said. The speaker also urged Nigerians to use the Independence anniversary and reflect on the sacrifices of the nation’s founding fathers. He called on all and sundry to strive towards ensuring that the labour of the nation’s founding fathers were never in vain by contributing positively to the development of the country. Abdullahi also called on Nigerians to continue to pray for the nation’s unity, peace, progress and development. Besides, he urged the people of the state and Nigerians to support President Bola Tinubu, Gov. Abdullahi Sule and other leaders to succeed. “I want to call on Nigerians to continue to pray and support President Bola Tinubu, His Excellency Gov. Abdullahi Sule and other leaders to succeed.” The speaker further appealed to Nigerians to continue to remain law abiding, respect constituted authorities and live peacefully with one another for development to thrive. 

Nigeria @63: NLC Issues Powerful Message To Nigerians Ahead Nationwide Protest

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has released a powerful message to mark the 63rd Independence Day of Nigeria. In this message titled “63RD INDEPENDENT DAY MESSAGE TO ALL NIGERIAN WORKERS AND PEOPLE BY THE NIGERIA LABOUR CONGRESS (NLC)… NIGERIA: THE TRAVAILS OF A MISMANAGED GIANT”, the NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, addressed the country’s downward spiral since its early days of independence, emphasizing the critical need for reforms and a nationwide strike to demand change. According to Ajaero, Nigeria, which was once seen as a promising giant on the world stage, has suffered from mismanagement and corruption over the decades. He recalled the optimism of the nation’s early years, with thriving agriculture, industries, and a population full of hope. The healthy competition among regions drove progress and prosperity. “However, the promise of Nigeria’s early independence years soon gave way to a series of missteps, corruption, and missed opportunities. The erosion of ethical governance, widespread corruption, and political instability became the hallmarks of the nation’s trajectory. “One striking example of this decline is the demise of Nigeria Airways, a once-thriving national airline with a global presence. Today, Nigeria has neither a national airline nor a national shipping line, which has led to embarrassing situations like the ill-fated Nigeria Air project. The country’s once-strong currency, the Naira, has also weakened significantly in comparison to the U.S. Dollar,” Ajaero said. The press release further questions the privatization of key assets, including power generation and distribution companies, aluminum smelter companies, and steel manufacturing companies, which seem to have failed to deliver the expected benefits to the Nigerian people. On the healthcare and education fronts, the NLC expressed concern about the declining state of public hospitals and the exorbitant cost of quality education, leading to many Nigerians seeking education and healthcare abroad. The message also raises the issue of insecurity, particularly the challenges in combating Boko Haram insurgency, despite the military’s past successes in conflicts like the Nigerian Civil War. Furthermore, the NLC said it has not overlooked the plight of Nigerian workers, who face unfair labour practices, inadequate wages, and the burden of rising fuel prices. They argue that the minimum wage of N30,000 is insufficient to meet basic needs. The NLC extended its message beyond criticism, as it called on Nigerians from all regions to unite, demand transparency and accountability from their leaders, and work toward a brighter future. The NLC’s nationwide strike, scheduled for October 3rd, aims to draw attention to these issues and rally citizens to be active participants in reshaping their nation. Comrade Joe Ajaero reminded Nigerians that the path to a better future for their nation requires collective effort. He called on the people to join hands and build a coalition to address the nation’s challenges, transforming Nigeria into a truly independent and prosperous nation once more. See Full Statement Below: 63RD INDEPENDENT DAY MESSAGE TO ALL NIGERIAN WORKERS AND PEOPLE BY THE NIGERIA LABOUR CONGRESS (NLC)  NIGERIA: THE TRAVAILS OF A MISMANAGED GIANT Our nation with all its flaws at conception possesses a great potential to be amongst the best economies of the world. It had the promise of a nation destined to be prosperous and continually developing. At independence, it began to demonstrate the signs that it was going to fulfill these expectations especially with all the giant strides being recorded in all the regions that made up the country. There was a healthy competition amongst the diverse regions for progress with pacesetting and record-breaking achievements all around the nation. When Nigeria gained independence on October 1st, 1960, the world watched in awe as a nation endowed with abundant human and natural resources took its place on the global stage. With a thriving agricultural sector, burgeoning industries, and a diverse and vibrant populace, Nigeria held immense promise. The spirit of unity and hope that characterized those early years was palpable, and it seemed that we were poised for greatness. The famous groundnut pyramids became the symbol of a prosperous north while the famous Cocoa House standing on the Cocoa output and the Western Television showed the readiness of the Western region to outpace others with the Eastern region demonstrating its prowess in Palm produce and its rich technological start-ups. It was indeed a nation poised for greatness as the sky beckons. Our Hospitals and Educational institutions were top notch as royalties thronged our shores for medical treatments while Asian and other African students found home in our citadels of learning. We had a nation that could feed, house and cloth her people; a nation whose citizens lived in prosperity and enjoyed a life that was comparable to that possible in all parts of the globe. Our currency which was originally the British Pounds and was changed in 1973 to the Naira was stronger than the U$ Dollars but was at par with the British Pounds. Going abroad for studies or to live was not attractive and foreign nationals thronged our shores for greener pasture. Social infrastructure was efficiently maintained and the public utilities remained functional. As we celebrate Nigeria’s 63rd independence anniversary, it is important that we drew our attention to the fact that this nation was once a great nation filled with great hope inspired by great leaders until inept and corrupt leaders took over the helms of affairs and ran the country aground. The crisis of leadership is truly the crisis of our national development.  The continued mismanagement of our resources has made it difficult for us a nation and as a people to make sustainable progress rather, we have continued to march backwards with every preceding year looking worse than the previous one.  Regrettably, the decades that followed were marked by a series of missteps, mismanagement, and missed opportunities. The erosion of ethical governance, rampant corruption, and political instability became defining features of our nation. Instead of harnessing our potential for the collective good, our leaders often pursued personal interests, leaving the masses to grapple with the consequences. There is no other way

Contempt Suit: Withdraw case or face strike action, NLC warns FG

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a stern ultimatum to the Federal Government, demanding the withdrawal of a lawsuit filed against organized labour. According to them, failure to comply with this demand could lead to a nationwide strike on August 14, 2023. The decision was reached during the NLC’s National Executive Council meeting held in Abuja on Thursday. In a statement, signed by the National President, Joe Ajaero, and the National Secretary, Emanuel Ugboaja, the NLC strongly accused the Ministry of Justice and the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) of aligning themselves as “anti-democracy” agents. While the NLC temporarily suspended its protest following a meeting with President Bola Tinubu on Thursday, they have made it clear that they will not hesitate to initiate a nationwide total strike if labour leaders are summoned to Court by the government through the NICN. “The NLC remains resolute in its stance to protect workers’ rights and interests, emphasizing the importance of the government respecting their demands and refraining from legal actions perceived as undermining the democratic process,” the statement said. The statement further highlighted some of the resolutions of the union which include “To commit to maintaining the required vigilance needed to hold government accountable on its assurances and governance in general; to commit to the terminal date of August 19th 2023 within which the issues around the Petroleum price hike will be agreed given the assurances of the President and the National Assembly. “To go on total strike across the country any day labour leaders are summoned to Court by the government through the NICN; to demand the immediate withdrawal of this litigious terrorism by the Federal Ministry of Justice before the end of work Friday, the 11th of August, 2023. “To embark on a nationwide comprehensive strike beginning Monday 14th of August, 2023 if this contemptuous Court summons is not withdrawn by whosoever initiated it.” Though it commended the national leadership and all the state officers for the effective coordination of the protest, the union urged all affiliates and state councils including its civil society allies to stay further action but to remain focused and eternally vigilant.