The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has strongly stated that Nigerian workers will not be intimidated by any management of organizations or government entities amidst the ongoing national strike.
This declaration comes after the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) shut down the national power grid, which has led to widespread power outages and significant public outcry.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Ajaero criticized the spread of “outright falsehoods” aimed at misleading the public about the reasons behind the strike.
He emphasized that such tactics are counterproductive and only serve to exacerbate the frustrations of Nigerian workers and the general populace, who are already grappling with the harsh impacts of government policies.
He further explained that instead of resorting to misinformation, it would be more constructive for stakeholders to engage earnestly with the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to address the issues at hand.
The NLC President called on the Federal Government and the management of various public institutions to take the workers’ demands seriously and cease any form of intimidation or misinformation.
According to him, the focus should be on finding a resolution to the disputes that have led to the strikes, which have not only affected the power sector but various other sectors across the nation.
According to him, “It is important that we therefore address the Press statement by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) where they made false claims regarding the indefinite nationwide strike declared by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC).
“The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) should understand that the company is not the only company impacted by the massive withdrawal of service across the nation by Nigerian workers.
“It should therefore not make it a TCN affair as other organisations also suffer one breakdown in service or the other as a result of the nationwide industrial action.
“The Management of TCN ought to have realised that the NLC and TUC issued a notice to the Federal Government since the beginning of May, 2024, on the issues of non-completion of the National Minimum Wage negotiation exercise and passage into Law and the vexatious hike in electricity tariff.”