Subsidy: Lagos assembly appeals to NLC to shelve planned strike

The Lagos State House of Assembly has appealed to the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to shelve their planned nationwide protests and strike.

The Clerk of the house, Mr Olalekan Onafeko, made the appeal at a training and capacity development programme in Lagos on Monday, saying that calling off the strike was in the interest of the masses.

Our correspondent recalls that the NLC had advised citizens to stock their homes with food items, medicines and other essential things ahead of the commencement of its seven-day strike.

The strike which is to begin on Wednesday, is to protest the removal of fuel subsidy and the escalating cost of living in the country.

Onafeko, however, urged the labour unions to reconsider their stand as embarking on strike would further heighten the hardship experienced across the country.

“I want to appeal to the labour union leaders to shelve this avoidable strike and protests to enable constructive negotiations with the Federal Government progress to mutually acceptable conclusion.

“The negotiation with the government will make citizens not to go through the usual hardship occasioned by protests and industrial actions in the country.

“Especially since the government and the labour unions are both working toward the betterment of the people,” he said.

Onafeko commended the national assembly for its effort to enhance the human capacity development of its staff.

He argued that employees were the greatest assets of an organisation and investing in their training and development was key to sustaining success and growth of the institution.

The training programme, Onafeko stated, was capable of enhancing communication between the government and the labour unions while the participants gained ideas that could be employed for improved services.

He, therefore, urged the leadership of the national assembly not to relent in nurturing the legislative workforce in order to ensure legislature achieved the objectives for which it was established.