By Tina Amanda
The contempt suit filed by the Federal Government against the labour union last Wednesday 2nd August 2023, nationwide protests for the high cost of living, has been withdrawn.
The Federal Ministry of Justice had initiated contempt proceedings by filing Form 48 on the same 2nd August 2023, which is “notice of consequences of disobedience to order of the court” in accordance with Section 72 of the Sheriffs and Civil Process Act and Order 9 Rule 13 of the Judgment (Enforcement) Rules, before the National Industrial Court Abuja.
The suit accused the NLC and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria of resisting a directive that prohibited them from going on an industrial strike.
State Chairman NLC Rivers State, Comrade Alex Agwanwor, who disclosed this in an interview with our Correspondent, said the Ministry of Justice through the Solicitor General of the Federation sent a letter to NLC NEC withdrawing the charge.”
“The matter in the court has been withdrawn. As of yesterday 7 August 2023, government and the Union leadership had the first meeting to negotiate the minimum wage, let’s be hopeful and believe that at the end of the day, Nigerians will be happy with the outcome, because our expectations are very high.
“Considering the level of increase of goods and services and the hardship the subsidy removal has eaten deep into our income and wages. All other of our requests are also being considered the committee has started working to make sure all the issues and requests placed before the federal government are being attended to.
“The protest was a good success, we thank and we appreciate the masses for their general support and peaceful outcome. We believe that whatever we are doing is for the interest of all and for a better Nigeria”.
Last week August, 2nd 2023, the Nigeria labour congress had taken to the streets across the 36 States of the federation in a protest demanding the immediate reverse of the hike in fuel prices and all anti-people policies.
The Rivers State NLC Chairman, Comrade Alex Agwanwor, who led the protest in the state alongside it’s members and Civil Society organizations demand the immediate repair of the countries refineries, including the implementation of the resolution with the congress jointly signed by the federal government and trade Union Congress.
According to him, the protest was to draw the attention of government to the hardship and difficulties Nigerians are going through since the removal of subsidy and other anti-people policies announced by the federal government.
He lamented that the untold hardship on the people has caused breathlessness as a result of the fuel subsidy removal which has led to an increase in transportation and prices of goods and services.
Agwanwor however thanked Governor Fubara for the provision of palliative buses which has helped to cushion the effect of subsidy removal on the people, stressing that the federal government refused the call by labour to fix the refineries and provide palliatives before going ahead to deregulate.
