The Federal Government led by President Bola Tinubu has made a fervent appeal to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to reconsider their decision on initiating a nationwide strike. Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, emphasized that the government is not inclined towards labor disruptions and urged the organized labor to comprehend the government’s standpoint.
In response to the 14-day ultimatum issued by the organized labor regarding the prevailing hardships faced by Nigerians, Minister Idris assured that the Federal Government remains committed to fulfilling its promises to the workers. He underscored the government’s determination to uphold agreements reached with the unions, highlighting its steadfastness in honoring commitments.
Expressing the government’s perspective, Minister Idris stated, “Well, we appeal to labor to always see reason with the government. It is not in the government’s interest for labor to continue to go on strike. I think the government keeps its promises. If there are other things that they (NLC, TUC) think they are concerned about, I think that they will sit down with the government, and the government is ever ready to listen to labor so that we can have an amicable resolution to all these.”
He further urged the labor unions to engage in constructive dialogue, emphasizing the government’s openness to discussions around any perceived ambiguities in the existing agreements. The call for collaboration and communication around the negotiation table was emphasized as a means to find common ground and reach resolutions beneficial to both parties.
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