NLC petitions IG, Defence Minister over alleged illegal use of security agents
By Victor Ahiuma-Young
KOGI — THE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has petitioned the Defence Minister and the Inspector-General of Police over alleged use of armed solders and policemen by the owners and management of Obajana Cement Company Plc, Kogi State to settle industrial dispute with organised labour.
A petition by the General Secretary of NLC, Comrade John Odah, demanded a probe into the circumstances under which armed soldiers and policemen were used against unarmed workers and whoever authorised the abuse be brought to book.
In separate petitions to the Defence Minister and IGP, NLC said it was imperative to bring to the notice of the duo the illegal use of soldiers and policemen by the Dangote Group of Companies.
According to the petition, “In line with the Trade Union Act and Section 40 of the 1999 constitution which guarantees Nigerians the right to freely associate including the right to unionise, workers of the Obajana Cement Company Plc, in Kogi State were unionised.
“Following the decision of the Dangote Group to violate this fundamental human right of the staff, the National Union of Chemical, Footwear, Rubber, Leather and Non-Metallic Products Employees (NUCFRANMPE) complained to the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity.
“The Ministry in a September 23, 2009 letter to the Obajana Cement Company Plc, with reference number ML-KG-Ib/66/Vol.J/54 amongst other issues, told the management that “…recognition of duly registered Trade Unions by established corporate organisations in consonance with the subsisting Trade Union Acts and the relevant conventions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) is a matter of law not choice.’
“The Dangote Group which owns the company ignored this position of the law, constitution and international convention and went on to sack the newly elected labour leaders on the basis that unionism is not permitted in the organisation.
“In reaction to this naked attempt to abridge their fundamental human rights and the sack of their leaders, the workers embarked on a strike from October 1, 2009.
“This, as far as we know, is a purely industrial relations matter and Obajana Cement is not a security industry.
