Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, expressed confidence that the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) would not proceed with its planned nationwide strike. He attributed this optimism to the Federal Government’s intervention, which he said had averted the industrial action. Ngige highlighted that the NLC’s National Executive Committee meeting on Tuesday would concentrate on implementing several Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) measures designed to provide cash nationwide and ease the hardships caused by the prolonged cash crunch.
Ngige disclosed these details during the 68th session of the State House Ministerial Briefing, organized by the Presidential Communications Team at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja. He confirmed reports that he and CBN Governor Dr. Godwin Emefiele had met with NLC leadership on Monday to prevent a strike scheduled for Wednesday, March 29. The NLC had threatened a nationwide industrial action if the government failed to address the ongoing cash shortage, fuel scarcity, and electricity tariff increase.
In an effort to resolve the dispute, Ngige invited the labour union’s leadership and CBN officials to a meeting at his Abuja office on Monday. Speaking on Tuesday, he said, “At this moment we are no longer talking about whether or not to go on strike. We are only discussing the implementation of the CBN’s response to the whole situation.” He added that the National Economic Committee of the labour union, representing states and local government areas, would report to the national leadership on Tuesday, March 28, and he was confident they would not proceed with the strike planned for Wednesday. “We have apprehended the dispute, and when the minister apprehends a dispute, the next line of action is to maintain the status quo antebellum,” Ngige concluded.
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