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From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has declared solidarity with striking workers in Osun State, demanding the immediate release of withheld local government funds by the Federal Government.
The Congress said the continued withholding of the funds had caused considerable damage to governance at the local government level, with wider implications for service delivery and the welfare of workers.
In a press statement issued on Tuesday by its Acting General Secretary, Comrade Benson Upah, the NLC said there was no justification for the continued withholding of the funds.
It accused the Federal Government of using the situation to demonstrate that it was above the law, insisting that such an approach was unacceptable in a democracy.
The labour body also faulted what it described as intimidation and arm-twisting, arguing that the Federal Government could not selectively obey court decisions.
It maintained that all arms and levels of government must respect judicial decisions, stressing that the rule of law should not be subjected to political considerations.
The NLC commended Osun workers for conducting themselves peacefully in their agitation for the release of the funds, urging them to sustain the peaceful approach.
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The Congress reiterated its support for the workers, insisting that the withheld allocations should be released without further delay.
It added that the workers should continue to conduct themselves with utmost decorum and ensure that their action remained peaceful.
The statement reads: “We express solidarity with the striking workers of Osun State in pursuit of the release of the withheld local government funds and urge the federal government authorities to release those funds without further delay.
“The non-release of these funds has caused considerable damage to governance at the local government council level with collateral implications.
“There is no justification whatsoever for the continued seizure of these funds other than to prove the point that the federal government is above the law.
“However, we do not need this level of intimidation or arm-twisting in a democracy. The federal government cannot cherry-pick which decisions of courts to obey and which it will not.
“We commend the Osun workers for conducting themselves with utmost decorum in prosecuting this action, and we urge them to keep it so… always peaceful.”
