Nigeria: Shutting National Grid Is a National Attack, Senate, Reno Omokri Chide NLC, TUC

4 June 2024

Senate has faulted the shutting of the national grid by members of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress, TUC.

Yesterday the organized Labour embarked on a nationwide strike to demand for an increase in workers minimum wage.

Vanguard had reported how the Organised Labour leaders refused the initial offer of N60,000 from the federal government, thus embarked on an indefinite strike.

The strike according to reports crippled economic activities across the country. Banks, schools, government, private offices and the national grid were grounded due to the nationwide strike.

Puffed with the action, former aide to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, Pastor Reno Omokri, noted that shutting the national grid is a national attack.

Senate on the other hand said that the unions action was more of economic sabotage than agitation for new minimum wage.

According to Reno: "Do you know how many premature babies will die today because Joe Ajaero and his NLC shut down the National Grid? How many hospital emergency patients will perish? This is not a National Strike. This is a National Attack by the most politically exposed and partisan NLC President ever.

"He is in cahoots with Peter Obi. And this is about 2027. Which country have you heard of where they shut down the National Grid as part of a strike? If there is a fire or emergency somewhere, what do we do? Nigerians ought to stand up against Joe Ajaero. He is taking the country down with him!

"How does shutting down the National Grid and putting Nigerians in darkness help the economy or workers? Aso Rock has generators. So does the National Assembly. Even Joe Ajaero has generators and is enjoying air conditioning. It is you that heat is finishing in your house. Meanwhile, factories cannot produce, and the economy is contracting.

"What you may not understand is that Federal civil servants are less than 0.3% of the population. If the NLC insists on an unreasonable ₦494,000 a month minimum wage, all that the FG will do is go on a massive sacking spree.

"The people who will suffer are the private sector, who employ more than 65% of Nigeria's workers. Obviously, they will not be able to pay ₦494,000 a month and run their businesses profitably. So, they will increase prices for those not working and sack their workers, increasing unemployment.

"The NLC under Joe Ajaero knows that. They do not care. As long as they can sabotage the government and our economy to make Peter Obi look good, they will do it. It is all about 2027. It is not about you!

"Joe Ajaero's national strike will only cause national strife. This is the eighth strike Ajaero is calling this year. He has called more strikes than the last three NLC Presidents combined! If he wants to be a striker, let him go and become a footballer. He can then compete with Messi and Ronaldo on who is the GOAT striker.

"Even the Organised Private Sector, the manufacturing base of Nigeria, have publicly said they cannot pay ₦494,000, and patriotically suggested ₦60,000, which is a reasonable amount. I even think the government should go as high as ₦80,000. But ₦494,000 is just outrageous and an attempt by Joe Ajaero to please his master, Peter Obi, who himself pays his own workers at Next Supermarket peanuts.

"How can any reasonable person demand that the minimum wage should increase by 1600%? Has Nigeria's revenue, production capacity, or tax base expanded by 1600%? Is Joe Ajaero an economic saboteur who wants to crash our economy to make it easy for his boss in the 2027 election?

"Ajaero is a politician. He should leave labour unionism and join Peter Obi's political movement".

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