NLC Declares One-day Strike In Lagos, Abuja

Business activities would be paralysed in Lagos State and the Federal
Capital Territory(FCT), Abuja, respectively, as the Nigeria Labour
Congress (NLC) has directed workers in the affected states to observe
a work-free day on April 10 in solidarity with the Nigerian
pensioners.
THISDAY learnt that the directive was issued by the NLC through a
circular to its affiliates directing that national rallies be held in
the state and Abuja simultaneously on the said date in support of the
struggles of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP).
Already all affiliate unions and state councils across the country
have begun mobilising workers in the affected states and the civil
society groups to ensure a successful rallies.
The congress, while calling on members to actively participate in the
rallies urged them not to forget that "an active worker today is a
pensioner tomorrow" while reminding them of the slogan that "an injury
to one is injury to all."
NLC President, Mr. Abdulwaheed Omar, had earlier explained that the
decision to embark on an industrial action was informed by the
continued silence of the federal government over the plight of
pensioners in the country.
The Central Working Committee (CWC) comprising presidents and general
secretaries of affiliate unions of the congress had decried the
growing level of corruption in the country and the crisis in the
pension industry, stating that all efforts to get the attention of
government including two letters to the presidency for intervention
over the hardship faced by the nation's senior citizens were
fruitless.
The committee had expressed concern that despite the unprecedented
scam in the pension regime and the raging war of words between the
executive and the National Assembly, pensioners remain the main
victims with a large number of pensioners not being paid their
entitlements.
It lamented that the congress had exploited all the lawful channels of
communication to the government hence its determination to ensure
justice for its members who are owed billions of naira of pension
arrears.
"The congress had written at least two letters to the presidency
calling for its intervention in the pension crisis; coupled with the
correspondences, the leadership of congress had reached out through
other channels to the federal government; the congress leadership had
also made public pronouncements on the avoidable, but painful pension
crisis. The CWC noted with dismay that the Presidency neither
acknowledged the letters nor responded to the issues the leadership of
the congress publicly raised on the plight of pensioners. Convinced
that the congress had exploited all the lawful channels of
communication to the government to no avail, concerned that despite
the unprecedented scam in the pension regime and the raging war of
words between the executive and the National Assembly, pensioners
remain the main victims with a teeming number of pensioners not being
paid, congress is certain that nobody wants to listen to the plight of
pensioners.
Worried that the continued silence of the government means more
hardship for its members in the fold of the National Union of
Pensioners, NUP, and determined to ensure justice for its members who
are owed billions of pension arrears, the CWC resolved that on
Wednesday, April 10, 2013, all NLC affiliate unions and state councils
across the length and breadth of the country will mobilise workers on
a protest march to the presidency and state government houses."

Source: Naij