ANPP Gives Partial Support to Labour Bill
By Ndubuisi Ugah
Contrary to the growing criticisms that has trailed the proposed amendment of the Trade Unions Act by the Federal Government, the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) has thrown its weight behind the reasons adduced to ban street protests during strikes, exclude employees on critical and essential services from abandoning jobs through strikes, as well as ensure two thirds endorsement of decisions to embark on strike as good and reasonable.
But the party however, kicked against the requirements of ministerial approval for employees before joining unions and also to go on strike, as well as the deregistration of the central labour union (the Nigerian Labour Congress), which it said are retrogressive, and unconstitutional.
The ANPP, in a communique made available to THISDAY, after its South-west zone meeting, described the government move in deregistering labour via the bill that is before the National Assembly as "a vehicle for enthroning dictatorship and unresponsive management".
The party accused the Federal government of trying to use the bill to institutionalise 'divide and rule' tactics, while urging the legislators to "save the nation from sliding into feudal oligarchy, by rejecting the anachronistic propositions in the bill".
The communique signed by the party's Zonal Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Y.O. Ogun, welcomed the truce reached between the fueding leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo state.
According to the party, "it is hoped that the development would endure so that the law-abiding citizens of the state could enjoy good government henceforth, instead of heating up the body polity distratingly".
Besides that, the ANPP also condemned the actions of the Ekiti State legislature in granting arbitrary legislative powers to the state governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose, whereby Fayose could remove an elected council chairman without recourse to laid down rules.
The party said that "such empowerment of the governor to usurp the powers of council legislature is, in the real sense, a coup against the electorate that voted council chairmen to office".
The meeting viewed the pedigree of the PDP leaders, with such draconian laws as unhealthy, since it was felt that such development may soon find its way into the other PDP controlled legislatures of the South-west.
On the controversy that dogged the selection of a new Olowu of Owu, the party frowned at the conduct of President Olusegun Obasanjo in the conduct of the selection process.
It said the mutilation of the official results sheet because the outcome was at variance with the mindset of President Obasanjo (as the Balogun of Owu) was another despicable conduct, which ran contrary to the present administration's campaign for the use of due process for probity.
"The zone viewed with disgust the very undemocratic and shameful conduct of President Obasanjo concerning the election of a successor to the Obaship stool of the Owu people in Abeokuta.
"The zone condemned the President's penchant for public embarrasment of his office for, like William Shakespear wrote, 'if gold rusts, what then will iron do; for if a priest be foul in whom we trust, no wonder that a common man should rest", the communique stated.
On the face-off between the PDP and the Lagos State government, the party condemned in strong terms the escalating nature of the crisis, adding that the development could threaten the nascent democracy.
ANPP said "the cat and mouse game between the PDP and the Lagos state Government was also condemned",while urging "the Lagos State Government to remove all the sign posts it erected on major roads to ridicule the Federal Government".
On the Federal Govern-ment part, the party said "the PDP should mellow down on its strict adherence to law and rights in the management of the chaotic traffic on federal roads, so that LASTMA, FRSC and FERMA could work together for the benefit of all".
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