ABUJA— THE Trade Union Act amendment bill yesterday suffered a set back in the House of Representatives as it was stepped down till Tuesday next week following observations that the principal act and the monetary implication of passing the Bill on the economy was not included as stipulated by the House rule.
The Bill which was scheduled for second reading where the general principles of the Bill were to be discussed had attracted a huge crowd of NLC officials led by its president, Adams Oshiomohole. Comrade Oshimohole told journalists shortly after yesterday’s session that he was satisfied with the conduct of members of the House of Representatives, adding that democracy was at work.
Shortly after the House Leader Abdul Ningi commenced debate on the Bill, the leader of the Alliance for Democracy in the House, Mr. Wunmi Bewaji citing order 12 (3) of the House rule observed that the provisions of the rule that a principal must accompany an amendment bill had not been met. The Speaker who presided over yesterday’s session tried to overrule his observation but strident support from most of the members forced him to back down. The House Leader who had commenced debate on the general principle of the Bill however assured Nigerians that any undemocratic clause that is found in the proposed amendment would be expunged.
He said that the Bill had generated a lot of heat because of the impression amongst many Nigerians that the House of Representatives would be boxed into submission. He said the wish of Nigerians would be allowed to prevail. Mr. Ningi stated that in the course of the house consideration of the Bill, vital questions would be raised and resolved; adding that a global comparison of what is obtainable in other parts of the world would be conducted.
Some of the questions that the House would set out to answer, he said, was whether the Nigeria Labour Congress was the only union in the world that was so encompassing; or whether the proposed amendment was an attempt by the executive to gag labour. He also said the House would consider whether the Bill as proposed by the executive was to destroy organized labour. He said the amendment to the Trade Union Act was not a fight between President Olusegun Obasanjo and Adams Oshiomohole.
