By Joan Nwagwu
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has dissociated itself from clandestine groups organising to destabilise the country as alleged by the Department of State Services (DSS).
The NLC President, Mr Ayuba Wabba said this in a statement made available to newsmen on Monday night in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the DSS had in a statement included labour unions among the list of clandestine groups allegedly organising to subvert public order.
The DSS had also in the statement alleged that the groups also planned to unleash violence on the streets and destabilise the country.
According to Wabba, the linking of trade unions and by extension national labour centres with such subterfuge and criminality by the DSS is indeed very unfortunate.
“First, trade unions and national labour centres such as the Nigeria Labour Congress are independent organisations.
`That is recognised by both our national laws and international conventions with fundamental rights and liberties to associate, organise and undertake activities in the defence of workers’ rights and interests.
“By the provisions of our laws and in line with global industrial relations standards, no permission is required under the law for peaceful assembly of workers and citizens,’’ he said.
Wabba said that as a responsible national labour centre, the Nigeria Labour Congress always informs the DSS and indeed other security agencies of its activities, especially when such were undertaken in the public space.
“In all our undertakings as trade union and labour centre, we have never been found to be violent or complicit in encouraging acts of brigandage.
“It is, therefore, surprising that the DSS would suddenly decide to lump trade unions among the lot of organisations with subversive intentions, ’’he said.
The NLC president said trade unions exist to protect the interest of their members.
He also explained that some of the socio-economic realities such as the strike by university lecturers and the scarcity of refined petroleum products pointed out by the DSS in its press release were all of legitimate concern to citizens.
He said that citizens have the right to draw the attention of government to their plights through petitions, peaceful protests, and other advocacy initiatives.
“It will be greatly disrespectful to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and our democratic order to issue statements that appear to scare citizens from their rights to peacefully engage their government.
“The Nigeria Labour Congress has already condemned and rejected the current paralysis of academic activities in our universities.
“This, we believe is as a result of government dishonouring commitments made in Collective Bargaining Agreements with university lecturers.
“We have also lampooned the persisting scarcity of refined petroleum products which have exposed our people, especially workers to great sufferings and anguish.
“We have already spoken and we are still speaking to draw the attention of government to do the needful,’’ he said.
Wabba also expressed worry on the repeated collapse of the national electricity grid that had thrown most of the country into total blackout.
“We have had reasons in the past to protest against the neglect of Nigeria’s critical electricity assets and anti-people electricity policies,’’ he said. (NAN)
