The Senate has expressed worry over the implications of the shutdown of the National Grid and disruption of hajj flights, among other actions taken by the Organised Labour during the nationwide strike to agitate for a new minimum wage for Nigerian workers as economic sabotage.
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, indicated this during the commencement of plenary on Tuesday, as he halted a robust debate by lawmakers on the industrial action.
This came to the fore when some lawmakers advanced their opinions and suggestions following a motion moved by Senator Diket Plang on the proposed minimum wage.
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Senator Plang had, in the motion before the suspension of the strike, requested the Senate to call on the Federal Government to expedite action on the new minimum wage, to halt the industrial unrest.
The President of the Senate commended the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) for calling off the strike, to enable negotiations to continue.
He promised that the National Assembly would continue to do its best while awaiting the minimum wage bill for enactment for the benefit of all Nigerians.
READ ALSO: WAEC Pleads With NLC: “ Strike Should Not Interfere With Examinations”
The senate president however lamented that the disruption of the ongoing West African School Certificate Examination (WAEC) by the strike “was bad”.
“One of such excesses was the shutdown of the national grid, which is more of an economic sabotage than agitation for a new minimum wage,” Akpabio said.
“The disruption of hajj flights by some other labour unionists as said by the deputy president of the senate, is also not palatable as a religious exercise.
“Disruption or prevention of students from writing their West African School Certificate Examination by some labour unionists during the strike was bad because the examination is not organised by Nigeria but by West African countries.”
“On our part, we will continue to do our best by making contributions and, at the same time, awaiting the incoming bill on minimum wage for us to enact for the benefit of all Nigerians,” he said.
