No need for labour unions to join ASUU strike – Information Minister
Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed says there is no need for labour unions to join the striking university lecturers.
The Minister who stated this on Wednesday, while addressing the State House Correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari, added that it was uncalled for and illegal
According to him, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is not a political party and it is not in dispute with the government.
“I think we should also start to interrogate what labour is doing. The NLC is not a political party. The NLC can go on strike or protest if the rights of NLC members are involved. What the NLC is planning in the next two days is about interest.
“There’s no dispute whatsoever between NLC as a body with the federal government. Well yes, that’s a dispute between some members of NLC, ASUU whatever and the federal government which is being looked into. And NLC itself it’s a party to the committee that is looking into the solution. So calling out people on street protests you begin to wonder, what is the motive of NLC in this matter? But you see here, we do not interrogate what NLC is doing. NLC by its own laws cannot even give out pamphlets.
“And NLC is supposed to be completely insulated from politics. Now, if you declare a dispute with us, yes you can go on strike. Even that one would depend on whether certain steps have been taken or not. But this particular NLC, you know, asking and mobilizing people to come out on strike on July 26 and 27, is clearly nothing.”
Mohammed said instead of calling out workers on strike, he expects the NLC to proffer solution to the stalemate with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
“The federal government is as worried as the NLC and everybody, but the law is the law. What we are saying is that rather than the planned protest, what I expect NLC to do as an umbrella body to find a solution, is to join the federal government in finding a solution.
“They are part of the tripartite agreement that have been negotiating with the federal government on this ASUU issue. So why are they now going out to take sides? I think you also interrogate it yourselves. I think it is popular to get NLC out and support but ask yourself how does that help the problem? How does that solve the problem? What you are going to create is more anarchy. And I think the NLC should think twice about their proposed strike in solidarity with ASUU,” he added.
Also commenting on the threat by the aviation union to shut down airports in solidarity with ASUU, Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika said he is concerned about their threat.
Sirika however, assured the public that the threat will not be carried out because aviation authorities are already talking to the union.
“I’m naturally concerned about this if the aviation union will shut down in support of ASUU. I would say they have no need to. I will also say that we should begin to look at civil aviation as a critical national security enterprise. It has all the implications.
“We should not contemplate or think about an aviation disaster. We should also think about the general activity of the economy of Nigeria without civil aviation. It’s okay. This is democracy, you can push for demands, but in pressing for demands you should be reasonable in doing so. Where, the life that you’re trying to promote would be seriously affected and hampered, where lives can be lost because of your own activity.
“I think it should be reconsidered. So, civil aviation workers, I think, should not be part of this. Yes I am concerned and yes we’ve spoken to them and I don’t think they will join because they know that there’s huge responsibility in their lives.
“So in civil aviation, we speak to them almost on a daily basis. They are part of us. They are workers like every other person is. And we interact with them. In the ministry, we have their own representatives who speak to me time and again, probably on a daily basis. Yes, we have spoken and I don’t think they will join,” Sirika stressed.
