The World Institute for Peace (WIP) has questioned the rationale behind the three-day warning strike declared by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Osun State over local government allocations, insisting that the resolution of the crisis rests with the judiciary.
The organisation argued that the labour movement should not seek to achieve through industrial action what is still being contested before courts of competent jurisdiction.
WIP Executive Director, Lamina Omotoyosi, stated this on Monday while addressing journalists at the NUJ Correspondents’ Chapel, Osogbo.
He said the labour movement should demonstrate respect for judicial processes, particularly as the controversy surrounding local government administration and statutory allocations in Osun remained unresolved.
Omotoyosi raised three fundamental questions for the NLC: who was withholding the allocations, why the funds were allegedly being withheld and why allocations were reportedly released recently to the 2022-elected local government administration.
He maintained that the courts were at the centre of the controversy.
“The straightforward answer to these questions is the court, the court and the court,” he said.
The WIP director questioned whether the NLC expected the Federal Ministry of Finance or the Central Bank of Nigeria to release the disputed funds without regard to existing court orders.
He said no institution should be expected to override the judicial process in a democratic society governed by the rule of law.
The organisation described the proposed strike as politically motivated, alleging that it could create unnecessary tension and further worsen the economic situation in the state.
WIP, however, acknowledged that the prolonged crisis had affected local government administration and expressed concern over the difficulties associated with the release of funds meant for grassroots development.
It urged the labour unions to engage all parties involved in the legal disputes and explore an out-of-court settlement.
According to Omotoyosi, constructive dialogue would offer a more sustainable path towards resolving the impasse than industrial action.
He also recalled the approximately 20-month strike embarked upon by local government workers in the state, saying the labour movement should avoid actions that could further prolong workers’ hardship.
WIP appealed to the NLC to reconsider its decision in the interest of workers, residents and businesses.
It also urged security agencies to provide adequate protection for public and private facilities during the strike period.
The organisation said all stakeholders must exercise restraint to prevent the local government dispute from escalating into another source of political tension in Osun State.
