Strike: Labour Criticizes SGF Akume, Says His Remarks Reveal His Character

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has lambasted the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, George Akume, for terming Monday’s nationwide strike as “treasonable felony and economic sabotage”.

The NLC, while rejecting the SGF’s insinuations, said the former Benue State Governor’s utterances clearly exposed his personality.

In a statement by its Head, Information and Public Affairs, Benson Upah, the NLC said, “Those who loot our treasury around the country, those who divert public resources meant for hospitals and schools; those who are involved in foreign exchange round-tripping; padding of budgets and inflating contracts including those who steal trillions of Naira in the name of subsidy are the real economic saboteurs who commit treasonable felony.”

The statement added, “The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) expresses its profound disappointment and strong condemnation of the recent comments made by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) regarding the nationwide strike embarked upon by the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

“The SGF’s characterization of our legitimate and constitutionally protected industrial action as a “treasonable felony” and “economic sabotage” is not only deeply troubling but also undermines the spirit of constructive dialogue necessary for resolving the ongoing issues.

“The demands of the NLC and TUC are clear and just. We seek the conclusion and signing into law of a new national minimum wage that is in sync with the realities of the cost of living, a reversal of the hike in electricity tariff to ₦65/kWh, and an end to the discriminatory classification of electricity consumers into bands.”

The demands, according to NLC, are grounded in the need for economic justice and fairness for all Nigerian workers and citizens.

It said that the SGF clearly knows those whose actions are treasonable and sabotages the economy.