The Lagos Assembly of labour veterans and trade unionists have called for the immediate resignation of both the Labour Party (LP) Chairman, Julius Abure and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Comrade Joe Ajaero.
They lambasted the duo for trivial disputes and neglecting the Nigerian labour force, condemning them to a bleak future bereft of any promising prospects or uplifting assurances.
Veteran Labour leader and former National Deputy President, Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Isah Tijjani, speaking during a press conference, lamented that the two, who should strongly promote and protect the rights and freedoms of their toiling members against any forms of unlawful encroachment by some individuals, governments or the organised private sector have completely abandoned their constitutional duties and core responsibilities bestowed upon them as leaders.
Tijjani said the prospect to escape from the grip of multi-dimensional poverty has continued to dims for the masses of the people.
He lamented that the Federal Government sudden and abrupt withdrawal of petroleum subsidy, to the drastic devaluation of the national currency and the newly announced insensitive hikes in the costs of electricity tariff, blaming it on the abysmal failure of the leaders of the labour unions and the Labour Party to provide credible challenge to these anti-people policies.
He said: “When you devote adequate time to examine the perfunctory manner with which the Ajaero’s NLC is handling the ongoing award and the minimum wage negotiations, it would be crystal clear to you, that not much should be expected to come out from these razzmatazz-labour haggles.
“It is a sad commentary that many years after the adoption of the current N30, 000 minimum wage, more than 10 state governors, fully aware of the endemic weakness of the unions officials, have against all entreaties, refused to pay the agreed amount.
“So, on both sides of the labour front, the reality of the situation is that, workers have been made to suffer a crushing defeat, from which they will continue to lick their open wounds and finds it extremely difficult to quickly heal.”
