National Frid Shutdown: “Why We Did Not Punish Labour”, Tinubu Opens Up

President Bola Tinubu has said his administration was not dictatorial, and that was why no one was punished when the labour called for an indefinite strike
Tinubu said his administration chose the path of peace and cooperation despite labour shutting down the national grid during the nationwide strike on Monday, June 3
Organised labour shut down the national grid on Monday, a development that was widely criticised by Nigerians, while the presidency and national assembly described it as a felony

President Bola Tinubu has reiterated his administration’s commitment to the protection of human rights and freedom of expression in the country.

The president made this known while buttressing the importance of maintaining and sustaining democracy during his speech at the 2024 Democracy Day celebration on Wednesday, June 12.

Why Tinubu did not punish labour for strike

To drive home the point of choosing the democratic government over the military, the president said his administration did not set out to oppress anyone, which was why it was easy for organised labour to call for an indefinite strike to demand an increase in the minimum wage.

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Recall that the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) announced the commencement of an indefinite strike on Monday, June 3, following the failure of the government to meet their deadline to announce a new minimum wage.

During this period, the union shut down the national grip, slowing the country’s economy. The Presidency and the National Assembly described the act as a felony, while many analysts described it as unconstitutional.

Tinubu speaks on importance of democracy

But Tinubu, in his televised address on Wednesday, June 12, said his administration did not set out to oppress anyone; therefore, no one was punished for the action.

He maintained that his government would soon send an executive bill on the new minimum wage that was agreed upon between the government and the labour to the national assembly to be enshrined in the Nigerian constitution for the next five years.

His statement reads in part:

“In the face of labour’s call for a national strike, we did not seek to oppress or crack down on the workers as a dictatorial government would have done. We chose the path of cooperation over conflict.