By Kelechi Mgboji
Assistant Business Editor
Leadership of the Nigeria Employers Consultative Agency (NECA) has called for the intervention of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment headed by Chris Ngige to resolve raging crisis in Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC).
Briefing newsmen in Lagos on Monday, NECA Director General, Olusegun Oshinowo, said it was necessary for the authorities to intervene and restore harmony at the labour centre to forestall any workers’ action that could affect business operations of NECA members.
Oshinowo specifically expressed concern over picketing threat of some banks by the Joe Ajero led NLC, insisting that the contentious issues raised by the labour centre were being resolved by all relevant stakeholders.
Oshinowo insisted that NECA in conjuction with representatives of labour including National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE) engaged management of the banks and had arrived on vital agreements in the best interest of all the parties, particularly the workers.
According to him, it was against this backdrop that the mainstream NLC led by Ayuba Wabba withdrew picketing notice to the banks to allow the peaceful resolution process be concluded.
He therefore condemned a situation where parallel labour congresses are allowed to exist at cross purposes with each other, saying that it could paralyse productive sector.
Fielding questions from journalists as to why NECA did not involve other stakeholders, the NECA boss said that the agency was disposed to negotiating with the labour faction legally recognised by the relevant authorities.