FG, labour meet over COVID-19 lockdown

The Federal Government has allayed fears of any adverse action by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) over the COVID-19 lockdown across the country.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, gave this indication on Thursday in Abuja at the 18th joint national briefing of the committee.

According to him, there was never a threat from the Labour.

The President of the NLC, Comrade Ayuba Waba, had reportedly written a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, warning of possible breakdown of law and order if the ongoing lockdown was extended, over the plight of the working class.

Mustapha, however, said the government had been progressing with the fight against the COVID-19 in the country and constantly consulting with the NLC.

He added that he had met with Waba in Abuja, earlier on Thursday, and that the Labour leader was rather suggesting ways forward in the national response efforts.

He said: “There was no threat from Labour. As a matter of fact, the reason I was slightly late to this press conference was because the President of the NLC, Comrade Ayuba Waba was with me. He had written a letter, quite alright.

“He was also in the same manner, suggesting ways, you know they represent the working class, they also listen to what is happening, they see what is happening in different climes. Ayuba Waba is not only the President of NLC, he is also the International President of the Labour Movement.

“I believe that he is consulting all over the world, listening to his workers in different countries and also taking experiences of how other nations are dealing with the lockdown because the entire world is on a lockdown.

“Some who had the infection earlier are beginning to ease out the lockdown, as they have succeeded in flattening the curve and they begin to move into bringing their nations back into productive sessions and also getting their systems back into life.

“So, there is no threat from Labour, we are consulting with them. They have opinions that they share with us and at every step of what we have done thus far, we have kept contact with the working class, to ensure that at least, their views are adequately taken.”