The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association has urged organised labour to shelve its planned indefinite strike as it could reverse the recent marginal gains on the economy.

NECA’s Director-General, Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, who made the call in a statement on Saturday said the strike could incapacitate the private sector.

Mr Oyerinde said that the call for strike was ill-timed and ill-advised, and would not only impoverish Nigerians, “but also escalate the already worrisome unemployment situation.”

He said, “The call for an indefinite strike even when the tripartite committee has not completed its proceedings is ill-advised. The committee, being a tripartite committee, with equal rights and privileges, was to consult extensively and make recommendations to the President and Commander-in-Chief. The president’s final approval will, thereafter, be passed to the National Assembly for legislative action before the president will give assent.

“Aggrieved parties are at liberty to make representations and freely express their views at the National Assembly before a new National Minimum Wage Bill will be passed into law. While it is normal for parties to have divergent opinions, the President and Commander-in-Chief has the final authority. It is, therefore, worrisome that Organised Labour would call for an indefinite strike when these processes are yet to be concluded.’’

The director-general, however, said that the Organised Private Sector of Nigeria would do all that was necessary, within extant legislation, to protect its interest and survival, should the strike commence.

He said that OPSN remains committed to a new national minimum wage.

He observed, however, that in the current macro-economic circumstances, the odds were greatly stacked against organised businesses with consequential effects on job security.

He said, “It is our strong view that any amount beyond what the OPSN offered, could further escalate the already worsened health of many businesses, especially the small and medium enterprises, and drive others to the precipice. That situation could potentially compound the bad unemployment rate and worsen the insecurity situation in the country.’’

Mr Oyerinde also called on the Federal Government to fast-track the implementation of reliefs for Nigerians and reversing without delay, the recent hike in electricity tariff.

(NAN)