NLC Fingers Labour Minister, Lalong In NURTW Crisis, Threatens Strike

By Ayodele Oni

The relative cordial relationship between the Federal Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC), is being threatened, again, as the Organized Labour has accused the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, of taking sides in the crisis rocking the National Union of Road Transport Workers, (NURTW).

With this development, the NLC said the Minister is trying to scuttle the implementation of the recent agreement it had with the Federal Government.

The NLC  warned that another industrial crisis is looming if the Minister refuses to stop his action.

In a statement, NLC General Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja, said that Government was giving support to the illegal faction of the NURTW and encouraging them to conduct their own delegates conference, both zonally and nationally to confer legitimacy to their action.

“In a shocking turn of events, the Federal Minister of Labour, Mr. Lalong, has thrown a spanner in the wheel of the implementation of the Labour – Federal Government Agreement by his unmasked partiality in handling a critical item in the agreement which is the apparent government meddling in trade union matters by siding with people, who had illegally seized the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) headquarters with police support.

“The illegal group is now being encouraged to conduct its own delegates’ conference, both zonally and nationally to confer legitimacy on their action. Such acts not only constitute interference in the internal affairs of a union, in violation of ILO Conventions 87 and 98, but also represents a clear attempt to sabotage the recently ratified agreement between the labour movement and the Federal Government.

“The Minister’s decision, which is clearly morally reprehensible and legally untenable, marks a disheartening departure from the expected standards of conduct within the nation’s industrial relations sphere.

“Despite initial assurances from the Minister regarding the illegal occupation of the NURTW’s National Headquarters, the democratically elected leadership, led by Comrade Tajudeen Baruwa, has not been reinstated.

“This serves to affirm our earlier apprehension that the State was maneuvering to orchestrate a coup d’état against the democratically elected NURTW leadership, potentially alluding to the support of the Government, as suggested by Minister Lalong’s actions and statements.

“There is no doubt, both to us and the Nigerian public, about the Government’s intentions regarding the implementation of the October 2, 2023 agreement.

“It is evident that akin to the NURTW issue, the execution of other facets of the agreement may be jeopardized.

“Therefore, we take heed of Minister Lalong’s actions, which flagrantly violate an accord responsibly endorsed by all involved parties.”