Disregard NLC’s Call For Protest On Monday, Ngige Tells Workers

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has asked workers to go about their normal duties on Monday as there will be no protest.

He said this in reaction to an order issued by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for a one- day national protest on Monday.

The planned protest is in reaction to an alleged attack of its members during a peaceful protest.

The NLC was protesting the exclusion of a member of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) from the board when the thugs allegedly manhandled some of its members.

But a statement issued by Ngige’s Special Assistant on Media, Nwachukwu Obidewe in Abuja today described the directive as unlawful.

The statement read, “The calling out of workers on a flimsy and selfish excuse of non-inauguration of the board of the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) with Comrade Frank Kokori as the Chairman did not constitute a trade dispute as contained in the Labour Act. The issue in question is political. It is about the exclusive right of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to make an appointment.

“This is clearly outside the purview of the Trade Union and Trade Disputes Act, hence imperative for workers to go about their normal businesses. It is important to state here that every worker is supposed to put in eight hours of work per day for five days in a week in line with the ILO Convention. Therefore, using the office hours for such protest without the approval of the employers is unlawful.”

According to him, the 40 hours a week which the workers subscribed to should be used for productive ventures, especially in view of the new National Minimum Wage and the consequential financial adjustments.

Ngige further said he was already taking necessary legal action regarding the labour leader’s threat.