If the Federal High Court’s ruling prohibiting the Central Bank of Nigeria from paying allocation to Rivers State has an impact on the welfare of its members, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has vowed to remove its members from all positions.
During an emergency meeting in Port Harcourt that was attended by labor leaders, the NLC’s Rivers State Council adopted this stance.
After the meeting, Alex Agwanwo, the state’s NLC chairman, told reporters that the council strongly disapproved of the court’s ruling to halt the state’s allocation.
According to Agwanwo, the council analyzed the court’s ruling and discovered that the judge who rendered the decision did not take into account the interests of the state’s entire population, characterizing it as anti-development.
Workers will be greatly impacted, the labor leader said, adding that the ruling lacked sensitivity and a human face.
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“A court ruling is halting the state allocation,” he stated. We have examined the problems as a state council. We completely disagree with that ruling. The judgment is devoid of humanity. There is no empathy in the judgment. Before rendering the decision, the judge failed to take Rivers State’s residents and employees into account. Everyone is aware of what happens when a state loses its allotment. The state will suffer as a result. A state’s governance will be disrupted since without funding, government cannot occur.
Since government cannot function without funding, Agwanwo said the ruling would have an impact on state projects and governance.
He asked the court to overturn the decision, pointing out that the NLC would be forced to remove members from service if the decision had an impact on the welfare of its members.
According to Agwanwo, it will have an impact on state and local government employees. The state’s private sector businesses will also be impacted.
