….NLC suspends strike, says its to honour mediation
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige has intervened in the ongoing strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC) in Kaduna State by calking the two contending parties to a reconciliatory meeting.
Charles Akpan, Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations made this available on Wednesday.
He said the minister has invited the two parties to the trade dispute, the Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El Rufai and top officials of the State as well as the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba and others to an emergency conciliation meeting by 11 am, Thursday.
According to him,the Minister further directed the two parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum pending the resolution of the issues in contention.
The letter separately addressed to both the Governor of Kaduna State and the President of the NLC reads in part:
Sequel to the strike prompted by the Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC) one of the federations of Trade Unions in Nigeria, and the subsequent withdrawal of work and services in almost all public sector establishments and institutions in Kaduna State, including but not limited to the essential services in electricity , water and health , which has consequently resulted and inflicted huge damage and loss to the economy and well-being and even loss of lives to the people of Kaduna State in the last three days.
“ I am therefore constrained in the exercise of my powers as the Minister of Labour and Employment , under the Trade Disputes Act, CAP . T8, Laws of Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004; to invite you and your top officials to the emergency trade dispute conciliation meeting.”
The letter emphasized further, “ between the transition period for the meeting , you are please requested to maintain the status quo ante bellum this dispute , so that the enabling climate for the resolution of the issues in dispute will not be hindered by the creation of new issues.”
However barely few hours after federal governments intervention, the Nigerian Labour Congress Wednesday evening announced a suspension of its strike in Kaduna State.
The decision came third day into the five day warning strike which has garnered national attention and put the Governor Nasir El-Rufai on the spot.
NLC President Ayuba Waba said the decision was taken to honour an invitation by the Federal Government to mediate between the Labour and the state government.
