Public Services International (PSI), a global trade union federation and Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) has condemned the brutalisation, arbitrary arrest and detention of the President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero.
The General Secretary of NASU, Peters Adeyemi, who bemoaned the role played by the governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, and the Imo State Commissioner of Police in the incident, said the barbaric action was a violation of trade union right as well as human right of Ajaero.
He said: “The despicable action of the Governor and the Commissioner of Police in this regard is a violation of the human and trade union rights of Ajaero. The rights, which Ajaero was exercising in Owerri as the leader of the working people of Nigeria, before the brut show of power that exists only in animal farm, is guaranteed by the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 Constitution (as amended) and International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conventions. Nigeria as a member state of ILO has ratified ILO Conventions on Freedom of Association and Protection of Rights to Organise, 1948 (No.87) and the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining, 1949 (No.98).”
Adeyemi, who is also the Deputy President Public Service International (PSI), alleged that it is indeed worrisome that after the State Governor, Hope Uzodinma had morally brutalised Imo state workers through unfair labour practices and unpaid salaries and pension, he then resorted to physical brutalisation of Ajaero, the leader of the workers, who was on a solidarity visit to the workers in Imo State, adding, “as usual, he found a ready ally in the Imo State Commissioner of Police.”
NASU stated: “These acts of the two top State and Federal Government functionaries in Imo State, which are associated only with authoritarian and fascists Governments, were common in Nigeria only during military regimes. The Labour Movement and indeed Nigerians had erroneously believed that these acts had gone with military incursion in the governance of the country. What the Labour Movement failed to understand was that some ‘emperors’ in State Governments Houses are yet to be fully debriefed of military mentality.”
NASU called on the Inspector General of Police to remove the Imo State Commissioner of Police for indulging in the alleged heinous crime under the guise of keeping Ajaero under so-called ‘protective custody’.
NASU also urged President Bola Tinubu to, as a matter of urgency, direct the investigation of the actions of the Imo State Governor and the Imo State Commissioner of Police, their agents and officials and prosecute all those found culpable.
“Failure to do so, the President will be unintentionally, sending a loud message to the nation, that they should be expecting a clampdown on trade union leaders and activists, whenever there is a dispute between the government and labour. NASU says no to authoritarianism and fascism in public administration and governance in Nigeria. It cannot be business as usual anymore.”
On its part in a statement from its Lome office, Sani Baba Mohammed, PSI Regional Secretary for Africa and Arab Countries, said what was witnessed in Imo state is in violation of ILO conventions on workers’ rights that include C98 on Freedom of Association and C87 on Right to Collecte bargaining, both of which Nigeria has ratified.
The PSI which represents the interest of over 30 million working women and men who deliver vital public services in 163 countries, said to ignore workers concerns and resort to violence and harassment not only affect provision of the essential public services in Imo state but Nigeria at large.
Baba said the PSI stands in solidarity with Comrade Ajaero and the whole Trade union movement of Nigeria in this struggle.
“We urge the government and its agencies to ensure safety of Labour leaders and their members who were arrested and provision of medical access to all the injured workers that includes the NLC President, Joe Ajaero,” he said.
The PSI also urged the government to ensure that the rule of law prevails and protection of workers’ rights by bringing to book all those persons who were involved in unleashing violence and abduction of workers during the protest.
It stated further that “The government must also speed up the process on engaging in dialogue with these workers that makes our economies run even in turbulent times as was witnessed during the period of Covid-19.
“We remind the Government that Nigeria is a signatory to fundamental ILO conventions on workers’ rights that include C98 on Freedom of Association and C87 on Right to Collecte Bargaining since 1960. These two fundamental workers’ rights ratified by the Government of Nigeria guarantees freedom of association and right to collective bargaining including withdrawal of labour and strike without interference by the government or its agencies.
“What was witnessed in IMO state is not only a violation of these two fundamental rights but also a violation of human rights that includes freedom of expression and rights to assembly.”
. TheWitness
