The Nigeria Labour Congress has threatened to embark on a nationwide indefinite strike from August 14 if at the close of work on August 11 the contempt charge against it by the Federal Government was not withdrawn.
The resolution of the workers’ body was contained in a communique it issued at the end of its meeting on Thursday.
The meeting, attended by members of the National Executive Council, was to review Wednesday’s nationwide protest, which was called off after the personal intervention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The communiqué, signed by the NLC President and General Secretary, Joe Ajaero and Emma Ugboaja respectively, read: “Whereas Nigerians spoke loudly across Nigeria yesterday (Wednesday) to express their outrage over the huge suffering and impoverishment pervading the landscape, the President, Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu, responded through a closed-door meeting with the leaders of the Congress and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC.
“Concrete agreements were reached and the President personally guaranteed action on the following areas: Commitment to an immediate restructuring of the framework for engaging the consequences of the PMS price hike, in line with the input of the labour leaders
“The assurance that the Port Harcourt Refinery will commence production by December this year; the pledge to ensure that agreement is reached on the wage award for Nigerian workers immediately; and the promise to unveil a workable roadmap to the CNG alternative next week.
“The Federal Ministry of Justice, through the NICN, has continued to allow itself to be used as a vehicle to truncate the dominance of the tenets of democracy and muzzle/silence the voices of Nigerian workers and, has served a summons on the leadership of the NLC and TUC to answer to contempt of court charges, despite the provisions of the constitution to the contrary and the objective realities.
“Consequently, NEC-in-Session resolved as follows: To support and affirm the decision to suspend further protest on the nationwide mass protest.
“To commit to maintaining the required vigilance needed to hold government accountable on its assurances and governance in general
