The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened to withdraw its members’ services from all tasks if the Federal High Court’s decision barring the Central Bank of Nigeria from paying allocation to Rivers State has an impact on their well-being.
This position was taken by the Rivers State Council of the NLC during an emergency meeting in Port Harcourt attended by labour leaders.
Alex Agwanwo, the state’s NLC chairman, told reporters following the meeting that the council strongly opposed the court’s order to halt the state’s allocation.
Agwanwo stated that the council reviewed the court ruling and discovered that the judge who issued the judgment did not consider the interests of the entire state’s population, calling it as anti-development.
The union leader claimed that the decision lacked a human face and empathy, and that workers will be severely impacted.
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He stated, “There is a court order halting the state allotment. As a state council, we examined the issues. We wholeheartedly deplore that decision. The judgement lacks a human face. The judgment lacks empathy. Before issuing the ruling, the judge did not consider Rivers State’s inhabitants and workers. Everyone understands how taking allocation away from a state will seem. It will cause the state to suffer. It will destabilize governance in a state since governance cannot occur without funds.”
Agwanwo stated that the judgment would have an impact on governance and projects in the state, claiming that government cannot thrive without allocation.
He requested the court to reconsider the decision, stating that if the ruling has an impact on the welfare of its members, the NLC will be forced to withdraw members from service.
Agwanwo stated, “It will have an impact on workers at the state and local government levels.” The private sector that conducts business in the state will also be affected.
