By Tosin Olatokunbo
Senator Shehu Sanni, a human rights activist was already prepared for the national strike and protest over the recent increase in the pump price of petrol and electricity tariff, scheduled for Monday, September 28 which has now been cancelled after the Nigerian Labour Congress and Trade union Congress, TUC reached a truce.
In a message posted on his verified twitter handle, few minutes before the Unions announced that it would no longer embark on the strike, Sanni said he was already ”stocking for the national strike.” He later wrote that “solidarity is no more forever” in frustration that the protest would no longer hold.
Monday Ubani, a former chairman of NBA said he was disappointed that the organized labour did not come out with anything concrete during the negotiation, adding that the agreement was hurriedly reached without enough consultation with all parties.
The right lawyers are among many Nigerians not happy with the decision to suspend the strike.
According to communiqué jointly signed by the organized labour, led by NLC President Ayuba Waba, his counterpart in TUC and government, the parties said they have reached modalities to settle the trade disputes.
The communique reads “The parties agreed to set up a Technical Committee comprising Ministries, Departments, Agencies, NLC and TUC, which will work for two weeks, effective Monday, September 28.
“The committee will examine the justifications for the new policy, metering deployment, challenges and timeline for massive rollout.
“The Technical Committee membership is as follows: Mr Festus Keyamo(SAN), Minister of State Labour & Employment, Chairman; Mr Godwin Jedy-Agba, Minister of State Power, member; Prof. James Momoh, Chairman, National Electricity Regulatory Commission, member.
Others are Engr. Ahmad Rufai Zakari, SA to Mr President on Infrastructure; member/Secretary, Dr OnohoOmhen Ebhohimhen, member (NLC); Comrade Joe Ajaero, member (NLC); Comrade Chris Okonkwo, member (TUC), and a representative of DISCOs, member.
“The Terms of Reference (ToR) are as follows: To examine the justification for the new policy on cost-reflective Electricity Tariff adjustments.”
The committee would “Look at the different Electricity Distribution Company (DISCOs) and their different electricity tariff vis-à-vis NERC order and mandate.
“Examine and advise the government on the issues that have hindered the deployment of the six million meters.
“To look into the NERC Act under review to expand its representation to include organised Labour.
“The Technical sub-committee is to submit its report within two weeks.
“During the two weeks, the DISCOs shall suspend the application of the cost-reflective electricity tariff adjustments.
“The meeting also resolved that the following issues of concern to Labour should be treated as stand-alone items.
“The 40% stake of government in the DISCO and the stake of workers to be reflected in the composition of the DISCOs Boards.
“An all-inclusive and independent review of the power sector operations as provided in the privatisation MOU to be undertaken before the end of the year 2020, with Labour represented.
“That going forward, the moribund National Labour Advisory Council, NLAC, be inaugurated before the end of the year 2020 to institutionalise the process of tripartism and social dialogue on socio-economic and major labour matters to forestall the crisis,” the communiqué said.
But the NLC and TUC are now under serious attacks from many Nigerians and civil society groups, who said organized labour did not get anything tangible from the negotiation with the federal government.
The two unions have sold out, some contend, even though the umbrella labour bodies said what it did was to suspend the strike, to give room for more consultation between it and the government.
The magazine learnt that the feelings among the labour leaders is that the strike was unnecessary since the federal government has already agreed to some of its demands, among which is the suspension to shelve the electricity tariff hike for two weeks, to allow for more consultation on the issue.
This appears not enough to placate the civil societies and other Labour affiliates now angry that they were not consulted before the decision to call of the strike was reached.
For instance, some states NLC and TUC chapters, in Edo, Kwara, Niger and others insist that they were left out of the decision making process that led to the suspension of the strike.
As if that is not enough, the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP has also joined in the outbursts against the unions for reaching a peaceful settlement with the government.
CNPP said it was disappointed that the strike was called off without consultation with leaders of civil societies, insisting that the Labour has lost the confidence of many Nigerians.
According to a statement signed by its Secretary General, Willy Ezugwu, on Monday, the umbrella bodies of political parties in the country said the Unions had betrayed always betrayed Nigerians.
“We expected that this would happen and that was why the CNPP opted to rally civil society movements across the country.
“We are monitoring the situation and rejigging our plans in view of the now obvious reality that the ordinary citizens who cannot travel to Abuja are on their own.
“In the last five years, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have remained toothless bulldogs and compromised arm of the federal government of Nigeria.
“The suffering masses who believed the labour unions can now continue to suffer, while all voices are shut.”
Ezegwu said the labour is a sell out and that Nigerians will no longer depend on it to fight for their interests.
He said “Following the current compromise and sell out, we advise Nigerians never to take the labour unions seriously until there is a rebirth when these current leaders of the unions are gone.We join the Nigerian people to clearly declare that we have completely lost confidence in the current leaders of the labour unions in Nigeria.
“For them, getting ‘palliatives’ for the unions is all they want while the masses can continue to suffer. The CNPP calls on all Nigerians not to lose hope in the country. There will be light at the end of the tunnel.”
Meanwhile, some Nigerians insist that the organised labour did the right thing by calling off the strike. Going ahead with the strike would have led to more sufferings for Nigerians who are barely surviving the negative impacts of COVID 19, those who spoke with the magazine said.
