FG reads riot act to protesting workers

From Ajansii Mgbo

The Federal Government has said it would sanction workers who embarked on what it described as unlawful industrial actions, saying that no amount of blackmail would make it succumb to the antics of workers particularly in the National Population Commission (NPC), Lottery Commission and parastatals in the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, in Abuja, Monday evening, enjoined them to engage in social dialogue in resolving industrial disputes, as self-help such as lock-out of duly appointed officers and picketing were unconstitutional and an affront to the constitutional powers of the President who made such appointments.

Reacting to the recent spates of trade disputes between workers and their employers especially in the Public Service of the Federation regarding issues of appointments, promotions, administrative postings, and discipline, the minister also re-apprised employees of Government and their respective Trade Unions that by virtue of the provisions of Section 130(2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Government of Nigeria (as amended), Mr President is the Head of State and Chief Executive of the Federation.

According to a statement he issued, “Section 169 of this same Constitution created the Public/Civil Service of the Federation, while Section 170 allowed Mr. President to delegate functions to any Member of the Civil/Public Service, and Section171 gave him powers to appoint persons to hold offices in the actualization of the contents of the two previous sections.”

“Therefore, the recent trade disputes in Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) where workers have embarked on illegal lockouts of officers duly appointed by Mr. President as it happened in the National Population Commission (NPC), and the picketing in some Agencies and Ministries, are clear violations of the constitutional powers of Mr. President as Chief Executive and Appointing Authority.”

“The same goes for establishments where workers have threatened forceful ejection, removal of Chief Executives and Permanent Secretaries over promotion, discipline, administrative postings, and even lawful employment of staff.”

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He noted that employers and employees have their rights imbued in the same Constitution which is the supreme law of the land, and “Accordingly, an employer cannot dictate to workers how to run their Trade Unions, while the workers/Trade Unions have no right to blackmail or arm twist their employers on who to appoint, employ or when to appoint or employ.”

To do so, he said, would go against the fundamental principles and rights at work enunciated by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), adding that “Such illicit industrial actions will not be condoned by the Government.”

Ngige however, advised workers and trade unions with grievances to channel such to the relevant authorities including but not limited to the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment in order to avoid unnecessary politicization at a time when scoring cheap political points had become the order of the day.

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