FG, Labour talks deadlocked

ABUJA—THE peace talks between the Federal Government, organised labour and civil society may be deadlocked as parties are accusing each of influencing violence that erupted in some parts of the country, particularly Niger state.

In a meeting of the Adhoc committee on Labour between the FG and organised labour yesterday, the Federal Government insisted that labour must call off the strike before negotiations could take place because the organized labour created platform for violence by embarking on strike.

The Federal Government represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, former Chief Justice of the Federation, CJN, Justice Alfa Belgore and Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu had made it clear to the labour leaders that because of the trouble in Niger State, labour should denounce violence before any negotiation.

Anyim who arrived the meeting at about 5.35pm mid way into the meeting read a text sent to him chronicling all the mayhem that took place in Niger State and declared that based on this text message, “the agenda of this meeting has changed because labour provided the platform for violence and must denounce those perpetrating violence and also call off the strike.”

‘We should respect the sanctity of life and the social political environment must be calm before any meaningful dialogue can take place.”

Minister of Labour who corroborated this said “it is clear that other people had taken over the protests to cause mayhem and labour is now helpless.”