Following the intervention of the Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, the local union of workers in the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) has called off its month-long strike. The workers are therefore directed to resume work tomorrow, Thursday July 26th 2018 and clear all the barricades to the commission’s premises as well as allow unfettered access to the re-appointed Director General of the Commission, Prof. Eli-Jidere Bala.
At a conciliatory meeting today at the instance of the Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment, the Union members who were led to the meeting by the President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Com. Bobboi Balla Kaigama agreed to call off the strike in order to enable an equable settlement of all issues in conflict by a Nine-Man Committee set up for the purpose.
The committee is to look into the remote and immediate causes of the problems in the commission, examine the grievances listed by workers and make recommendations to prevent further occurrences.
The meeting also agreed that the recommendations of the committee shall be religiously implemented within the next three months while also agreeing that no staff shall be punished for role in the strike.
Members of the committee are drawn from the Ministry of Labour and Employment (Chairman) Office of the Secretary of the Government to the Federation, Office of the Head of Civil Service, Ministry of Science and Technology, Office of the Auditor General of the Federation, Management of the Energy Commission, Local Union of Workers in the Commission, Trade Union Congress and a member Secretary also from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.