Senate President Godswill Akpabio, on Tuesday, lamented that the decision of Organised Labour to shut down the national grid amounts to economic sabotage.
Akpabio spoke on the floor of the Senate after a motion on Labour Unions’ indefinite strike was sponsored by Diket Plang, Senator representing Plateau central.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) embarked on an indefinite nationwide strike on Monday over the government’s failure to fix a new minimum wage for workers.
The Federal Government had initially proposed a minimum wage of N48,000, N54,000, and N60,000, but labour has insisted on N615,500 and then N494,000.
However, Organised Labour, on Tuesday, relaxed the strike to pave way for further negotiations with the Federal Government.
Reacting, Akpabio said the disruption of the ongoing West African School Certificate Examination (WAEC) by the strike “was bad.”
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“One of such excesses was the shutdown of the national grid, which is more of an economic sabotage than agitation for a new minimum wage.
“The disruption of hajj flights by some other labour unionists as said by the deputy president of the senate, is also not palatable as a religious exercise.
“Disruption or prevention of students from writing their West African School Certificate Examination by some labour unionists during the strike was bad because the examination is not organised by Nigeria but by West African countries,” Akpabio said.
Akpabio also commended the Unions for calling off the strike to allow for further negotiations.
“On our part, we will continue to do our best by making contributions and, at the same time, awaiting the incoming bill on minimum wage for us to enact for the benefit of all Nigerians,” he added.
He further urged the Federal Government to expedite negotiations to end the strike.
