Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has directed its members across the country to begin seven working days of mobilisation for strike on Friday, August 22.
The NLC at the end of its Central Working Committee meeting in Abuja said a total shutdown will begin next week except the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF accounts for and returns all allegedly diverted 40% contributions of workers within seven working days.
The NLC, in a communique signed by its president, Joe Ajaero, said it is outraged at the ongoing assault on workers’ social protection rights through Federal Government’s alleged diversion of 40% of workers’ contributions to the national coffers as “revenue” in flagrant violation of the statutes establishing the NSITF.
It says, equally condemnable, is the new NSITF administration’s false claim of ownership of the NLC National Headquarters, which is a property it says is owned by Nigerian workers, resort to cyber and media-bullying of the trade unions and leadership coupled with covert moves to amend the NSITF Act in a manner that would disenfranchise workers and give government full control over the funds.
Furthermore, the labour centre said the Board of the Pension Commission, PENCOM must also be properly constituted in full compliance with the law within seven working days, and that PENCOM must submit to the NLC full status report of the funds within this same period.
The communique also ratified the dissolution of the State Administrative Council of NLC in Edo state and the setting up of a Caretaker Committee.
On the state of the nation, the labour centre, said it reviewed the deepening economic crisis marked by runaway inflation, joblessness, hunger, insecurity, and the collapse of public services, all aggravated by anti-people neoliberal policies. The Congress warns that unless Nigeria adopts a people-centred development path anchored on public ownership of strategic sectors, living wages, industrial revival, and social protection, the majority of citizens will remain trapped in poverty while the ruling elite continues in opulence.
