The Nigeria Labour Congress has called off its planned nationwide protest scheduled for 17th December following extensive discussions with President Bola Tinubu on workers’ welfare and national security concerns.
Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, disclosed on Wednesday that the meeting held at the State House on Tuesday night addressed critical issues affecting Nigerian workers, particularly financial insecurity and the deteriorating security situation across the country. The labour leader emphasised that workers facing inadequate remuneration and poor welfare conditions remain vulnerable to heightened challenges compared to their well-compensated counterparts.
According to Ajaero, who spoke after a follow-up meeting convened by Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State in Abuja, President Tinubu provided assurances that insecurity would soon become a thing of the past. “Mr President was emphatic that the issue of insecurity will be a thing of the past very soon. He said he’s taking extra steps to take care of it,” Ajaero stated.
The NLC had declared the protest citing what it described as the country’s degenerating security situation, a concern that has affected workers across various sectors. The labour congress argued that persistent insecurity has created an environment where workers cannot perform their duties safely or travel to their workplaces without fear.
During the discussions, both parties agreed to address the intersection between economic welfare and security. Ajaero explained that financial insecurity compounds the challenges workers face, noting that “a worker who is not well fed and not well paid will have even more problems than the ones that are well fed and well paid.”
The NLC President revealed that President Tinubu committed to placing Nigeria on a path towards prosperity, with both parties agreeing to reconvene in January to examine outstanding issues requiring attention. “Mr President said he has put Nigeria on the map of prosperity, and we agreed that we’re going to meet in January to look at some grey areas where we need to touch,” Ajaero said.
Governor Uzodimma, who chairs the Progressives Governors’ Forum, commended the outcome of the engagement, describing it as a demonstration of maturity from both the government and organised labour. He highlighted that the meeting covered various aspects of Nigeria’s economy, workers’ welfare, ongoing reforms, and national security developments.
“At the end of the meeting, we also discovered that there is a need for regular engagements with the Nigeria Labour Congress,” Uzodimma stated. He added that both government and labour now stand united in ensuring better protection for Nigeria and encouraging increased investment in security infrastructure.
The governor expressed appreciation for President Tinubu’s willingness to personally explain his programmes and activities for improved security arrangements in the country. He also praised the NLC for exhibiting maturity and displaying genuine interest in national security and the welfare of Nigerian workers.
Uzodimma confirmed that all parties had reached a consensus, with labour agreeing to work alongside other government agencies in the national interest. “It was a very good development and all issues that were not cleared before this time had been cleared, and all the parties are also comfortable with all the explanations given,” he said.
The meeting reflects the government’s eleventh-hour intervention strategy, with the presidency engaging labour leadership on the eve of the planned protest. This approach has become characteristic of recent government-labour relations, though Ajaero suggested that meeting on the day or eve of planned actions “is not rocket science.”
The NLC’s decision to call off the protest follows the completion of discussions and the opening of communication channels for continued dialogue between organised labour and the Federal Government. Ajaero indicated that the union would relay the outcomes of the discussions to its members, though he confirmed that Wednesday’s planned action had been taken off.
