The National Industrial Court of Nigra, NICN, has restrained the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, from embarking on their planned nationwide strike on Wednesday.
The NLC, in a statement last Friday, announced a boycott of services nationwide from Wednesday, June 7, 2023, in protest against the removal of petrol subsidy by President Bola Tinubu which has resulted in an upsurge in the price of premium motor spirit, PMS, otherwise known as fuel, from N195 per litre to over N500 nationwide.
The NLC argued that “it was unlawful for the federal government to have announced the withdrawal of the subsidy on PMS.”
Other arguments are that “the 2023 Appropriation Act made provisions for the funding of the subsidy regime on PMS till the end of June 2023,” and that “it is unfair for the government to knowingly take action that will inflict pains on the populace and workers without putting adequate safeguards in place.”
Similarly, the TUC protested “the unilateral decision of the Nigerian government to remove the subsidy” and demanded that the government should revert to the status quo ante.
However, the FG took the labour unions to court yesterday, asking the court for an interim injunction to stop the proposed strike action scheduled to begin tomorrow.
The FG and the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, Abubakar Malami – the claimants/applicants in the suit – argued that the strike action may gravely affect the larger society and the well-being of the nation at large.
Honourable Justice O.Y. Anuwe, the presiding judge, therefore, ruled that the defendants/respondents – NLC and TUC – should halt the planned strike pending the hearing and determination of the ex parte (without notice to the respondents) motion on Monday, June 19, 2023.
“The defendants/respondents are hereby restrained from embarking on the planned Industrial Action/or strike of any nature, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on Notice dated 5th June 2023,” the court document said.
MOBILIZATION IS ON : A PEOPLE UNITED, CAN NEVER BE DEFEATED
SUBSIDY IS A SCAM, IT IS AN ORGANIZED CRIME AGAINST THE POOR, NNPC IS A PRIVATE LIMITED COMPANY, IT CAN NOT DETERMINE THE PRICE TEMPLATE OF PMS IN A TRULY DEREGULATED MARKET.
SOMETHING IS FISHY HERE pic.twitter.com/ctNUWkyyhI
— Nigeria Labour Congress HQ (@NLCHeadquarters) June 5, 2023
MOBILIZATION ON TOP GEAR, YOU CANT TASK THE POOR TO PAY THE RICH.
FOR THE UNION MAKES US STRONG. pic.twitter.com/Zr88PQBaek
— Nigeria Labour Congress HQ (@NLCHeadquarters) June 5, 2023
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