UN may sanction Nigeria over labour bill
- Police seal off NLC secretariat in Kwara to stop rally
From Abiodun Fagbemi (Ilorin), and Azimazi Momoh Jimoh (Abuja)
AS the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Adams Oshiomhole was yesterday expressing fears that the nation might be sanctioned by the United Nations if it eventually passes the controversial Labour bill, over 60 armed mobile policemen were stationed at NLC secretariat in Ilorin, Kwara State to seal off the premises.
The action of the police was aimed at preventing Labour leaders from addressing their members shortly before a proposed rally.
Addressing journalists at the Labour House in Abuja, the NLC president said since the International Labour Organisation (ILO) had already declared that the process of amending the Trade Union Act did not comply with ILO Convention 144, there were obvious dangers for passing the bill.
He said: "Judging by the position of the ILO (on Wednesday), we now know that the ILO will certainly condemn the Act if the bill is passed into law. The implication of that is that since ILO is a product of the United Nations, it will be Nigeria against the world. That means that sanctions may be imminent for Nigeria."
Oshiomole, however, expressed hopes that things might not deteriorate to the level of sanctions if the National Assembly would see reason in the arguments of Labour.
"The ILO said on Wednesday that what the government is doing is wrong, because the tripartite arrangement prescribed by the ILO Convention 144 with respect to amending trade union acts was not complied with. I am hopeful that the Senate and the House of Representatives will see beyond today's bitterness and look at the need to open up the Nigerian space," he said
The Labour leader warned that the passage of the bill might spell doom for even some people who had worked for it.
"Those who help to put bad laws in place may become victims of it later," he warned.
Oshiomhole stressed that his person was not the issue, "but there are people who believe that this Adams must be cut to size."
He said: "Let me say that what is actually on trial here is the Nigerian democracy. I have not derived any personal benefit from the struggle so far, except that I am serving the NLC which had put me there to defend the course of workers and give effect to their decisions."
He wondered why the government was bent on amending the Trade Union Act, saying: "After all, there are several other laws made during the military regime, which have not been amended. Have they forgotten that even the constitution we are now operating was handed down by the military"
In Ilorin, the Labour leaders and their supporters did not put up any resistance, but the local NLC chairman, Mr. Emmanuel Ayeoribe, described the police action as "barbaric and a return to the military dark days."
The NLC had planned the rally around strategic locations within the town to protest the impending amendment of the Labour Act by the National Assembly.
Speaking with The Guardian yesterday, Ayeoribe remarked: "There is an ominous sign in Nigeria. The sky is cloudy, the situation is worse than the days of late General Sani Abacha. The police are telling us now that we should disperse and never to hold rally at our secretariat.
"The about 40 policemen threatening a Labour gathering of over 4,000, is a misnormal under the civilian regime. But we have resolved not to derail this transition, otherwise we would have shunned the police order."
The Labour leader also accused President Olusegun Obasanjo of dictatorial tendencies.`
Although pockets of the Labour leaders later regrouped, the rally could not hold.
Source said they managed to deliver copies of a letter to the Speaker of the state's House of Assembly, Issa Bio Ibrahim, and the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari.
Excerpt of the letter made available to The Guardian, reads: "The aim of this letter is to respectfully request you to use your highly esteemed office to join us and other well meaning Nigerians to prevail on these distinguished lawmakers from Kwara State to educate and mobilise their colleagues in the National Assembly to suspend debate on the proposed executive bill."
