THE All Workers Convergence (AWC), a trade union support group, on Thursday berated the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, for declaring the impending nationwide solidarity strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) as illegal.
AWC’s National Coordinator (AWC) and former Oyo State Chairperson of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Andrew Emelieze, stated this in a statement made available to National Record. Comrade Emelieze also said his group will actively participate in the solidarity protest to be held on July 26 and 27, 2022.
“We the Nigerian workers welcome the call for the two days’ national protest by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in solidarity with the striking university workers. We call on all workers nationwide to join the protest and make it a success.
“We are however dismayed by the position of the Minister of information, Mr Lai Muhammed, who had turned himself to the judiciary and has unanimously declared the protest as illegal. The position of Mr Lai Muhammed is illegitimate and antisocial. He is being hunted by the failure of his government to meet up with the needs of Nigerians. We however call on the NLC to go ahead with the mobilization and ignore the ignoble position of Mr Lai Muhammed, who has over the years proven that he is never on the side of the people,” the statement reads.
While asserting that the protest is legal and legitimate, the AWC called on all Nigerians to be part of the protest. “Protest everywhere is legal, ours in Nigeria will not be different. We the Nigerian workers call on government officials to stop insulting the sensitivity of Nigerians. There is no going back on this two days’ protest that is long overdue.
“All Nigerian students, parents and all people of good will are equally called upon to join the protest to compel the government to meet up with the demands of striking university workers. We also call on the Trade Union Congress of Nigerian (TUC) to join the protest,” he said.
