The Federal Government has issued a cautionary statement to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) regarding their scheduled nationwide protests aimed at addressing the economic challenges faced by Nigerian citizens.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister for Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, conveyed this message through a letter addressed to Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, the counsel for the NLC, on Friday, February 23, 2024.
Modupe Ogundoro, the Director of Information at the Federal Ministry of Justice, emphasized that the Minister urged the Labour Union to reconsider their plan to stage protests on February 27 and February 28 of this year. The Minister acknowledged the government’s substantial efforts to fulfill the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and called for further engagement between the organized labor and the government to ensure its full implementation. He highlighted that unforeseen challenges have hindered progress in certain areas.
The Minister also drew attention to a restraining order issued by the National Industrial Court, which has not been stayed or set aside and therefore remains in effect. Hence, he cautioned that proceeding with the planned industrial action could potentially be seen as contempt of court.
Fagbemi clarified that the proposed protests are primarily based on the alleged non-implementation of a 16-point agreement between the NLC and the Federal Government, which was reached on October 2, 2023. Additionally, he asserted that the protests aim to address concerns related to the increase in fuel prices, the provision of palliatives, workers’ welfare, and other government policies.
In the letter, the Honourable Attorney-General requested the NLC counsel to advise his clients to refrain from taking matters into their own hands by suspending the planned protests. He stressed that such actions would contradict the spirit of the ongoing mediation process, undermine the existing restraining court order, and disrupt public services, order, and safety.
It is expected that the Nigeria Labour Congress will carefully consider the government’s cautionary advice before making any further decisions regarding the proposed nationwide protests.