Allocation: Rivers NLC Threatens State-Wide Strike

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Rivers State chapter, has threatened to go on strike if the federal government implements the judgment stopping the state’s allocation.

Naija News reported that Justice Joyce Abdulmaliki, in a ruling, restrained the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from releasing the state’s monthly federal allocation to Governor Siminalaya Fubara-led government.

Rivers State’s NLC Chairman, Alex Agwanwo, stated this to journalists after an emergency meeting with labour leaders in the state, on Thursday.

Agwano said that organized labour condemns the ruling. He noted that the state workers would not be paid salaries if the federal government goes ahead with implementing the ruling.

He added that workers cannot be working without salaries. He explained that workers would be left with no choice but to shut down.

According to him, the judgment lacks empathy. He stated that Justice Abdumaliki failed to put the citizens and workers of the state into consideration before giving her judgment.

Rivers NLC chapter called on President Bola Tinubu to avoid implementing the court’s ruling. He also appealed to the Court of Appeal to reverse the ruling.

NLC argued that taking allocation away from a state would put the state into suffering and disrupt governance.

“As a state council, we have looked at the issues. We condemn that judgement. The judgement lacks a human face. The judgement lacks empathy. The judge did not take the citizens and workers of Rivers State into consideration before giving the judgement.

“Everybody knows that taking allocation away from a state will put the state into suffering. It will disrupt governance in a state because governance will not take place without funds,” Arise TV quoted him.