COVID-19: No threat from Labour on possible lockdown extension – FG

Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

The Federal Government has said the letter from by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), contained no threat should there be a lockdown extension.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic, Boss Mustapha, gave this clarification during Thursday’s daily press briefing by the task force in Abuja.

It would be recalled that the President of the NLC, Comrade Ayuba Waba, earlier had written a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, warning of possible breakdown of law and order if the ongoing lockdown was extended, raising concerns over the plight of the working class.

The Chairman of the PTF said the federal government had been progressing with the fight against the COVID-19 outbreak in the country, while in constant communication with the NLC.

He also revealed that he had met with Waba in Abuja, earlier on Thursday, shortly before the commencement of the briefing, disclosing that the Labour leader was rather suggesting ways forward in the national response efforts.

“There’s no threat from Labour. As matter of fact, the reason why I was slightly late to this press conference was because the President of the NLC, Comrade Ayuba Waba was with me. He had written a letter, quite alright.

“He was also in the same manner, suggesting ways, you know they represent the working class, they also listen to what is happening, they see what is happening in different climes. Ayuba Waba is not only the President of NLC, he’s also the International President of the Labour Movement.

“I believe that he’s consulting all over the world, listening to his workers in different countries and also taking experiences of how other nations are dealing with the lockdown because the entire world is on a lockdown. Some who had the infection earlier are beginning to ease out the lockdown, as they have succeeded in flattening the curve and they begin to move into bringing their nations back into productive sessions and also getting their systems back into life.

“So there’s no threat from Labour, we are consulting with them. They have opinions that they share with us and at every step of what we have done thus far, we have kept contact with the working class, to ensure that at least, their views are adequately taken”, he said.