The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, and the National Union of Food Beverage and Tobacco Employees, NUFBTE, has announced plans to embark on a nationwide strike over the assault of the President of Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero.
Wakadaily reports that Ajaero explained how he was beaten, threatened and arrested by men of the Imo state police command while leading a protest in the state on Wednesday.
The NLC President, other national leaders of NLC and their Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, were at the state Secretariat in Owerri to protest among other grievances backlog of unpaid salaries and allowances, Pensions, gratuities and non-compliance with National Minimum Wage Act.
Leaders of NLC and TUC are billed to meet next week Tuesday to decide on appropriate response to the brutalisation.
The NUFBTE in a statement by its President, and General Secretary, Garba Ibrahim and Secretary, Mike Olarenwaju, respectively on Friday said “This attack is totally condemnable judging from the fact the Congress President was in Imo State on a scheduled official labour assignment.
It is barbaric, inhuman and demeaning that the State Government and the Security Forces would descends to this level of beastly indulgence in handling labour and Industrial Relations matter”.
NUFBTE that the “Congress President deserves some modicum of decency, recognition and respect for his personal rights and his inalienable rights to freedom of association speech and human rights as enshrine in both the international chatter for human rights and the Nigeria Constitution.
He deserves a much better treatment. We are certain that the goal is already dead on arrival if the motive of this conspiracy and attack was to intimidate and diminish his avowed will to protect the rights of Nigerian and in this instance, Imo State Workers.
While wishing him quick recovery, the food workers hereby enjoin the congress leadership and the entire labour movement to brace up for total industrial actions to redress this brazen act of undesirable impunity and checkmate any further reoccurrence by State actors and unprogressive elements.”
Also speaking, PENGASSAN in a statement by its President Festus Osifo said: “is a blatant violation of human rights and an assault on the principles of democracy, freedom of expression and association.
“Comrade Ajaero has been actively involved in promoting fair labor practices, advocating for better working conditions, and ensuring that workers’ rights are protected and his tireless efforts have contributed significantly to the improvement of workers’ lives and the advancement of social justice in our country.
“Violence against union leaders or any individuals fighting for the rights of workers is not only an attack on them personally but also undermines the fundamental of social dialogue and activism. These acts of violence seek to silence the voices of those who speak up for the vulnerable and marginalized, and they must be vehemently condemned by the society as a whole.”
