- Nigeria was recently thrown into total darkness when labour unions went on a nationwide strike
- The Nigerian Senate has then moved to ensure that industrial actions don’t affect the supply of electricity
- The chairman of the Senate Committee on Labour, Diket Plang, moved a bill that will prevent the shutdown of the national grid and airports
It appears that Nigerians will no longer have to suffer total blackout during nationwide strikes as the Nigerian Senate has started the process to pass legislation that will prevent the shutdown of the national grid and airports.
The Senate said that the unions' industrial actions were more about economic destruction than fighting for a new minimum wage.
Senate says actions of organised labour have been excessive
The chairman, Senate Committee on Labour, Senator Diket Plang, sponsored the bill that sparked debate about the alleged abuses of labour unionists during the now-suspended nationwide strike.
The lawmakers frowned at the shutting down of the national grid, claiming that it constituted economic destruction and called it "some excessive actions" for a new minimum wage.
They also condemned airport closures and the disruption of local airline operators by some members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) during the industrial action.
It was also said that the disruption of the West African School Certificate Examination during the strike was bad because the exam was not administered by Nigeria but rather by West African nations.
Such act would not be permitted again - Senator Plang
The chairman added that such acts would not be permitted to happen again as new legislation prohibiting them will be included in the National Minimum Wage Bill, which is anticipated to be presented by the executive very soon.
Nigerians react to the prospective bill
The idea of making law that will ensure that strike actions do not involve casting Nigerians into darkness has been met with different reactions from people. Here are some:
“100% in support! Shutting down critical national assets is an act of sabotage and should be criminalized,” Omoluabi on said X.
“Funny how they didn't add school or hospitals to this : Priority,” Mr Folajimi also said on X.
“So this means these old fööls know what we complain about. They see our pains but they intentionally ignore only when it affects them too. He no go better for all these thieving nonsensical mongrels. Why so wicked? It's even the speed they use in passing bills…,” Data&Co added.
“Oppressors in power, manipulating all forms of government for their benefits,”Ugo also expressed.