By Linus Aleke
Federal Government (FG), has vowed to deal with any group that attempts to disrupt the ongoing construction work at the permanent site of the Headquarters of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), located in Lugbe, Airport Road, Abuja.
Protesting members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), had on Wednesday disrupted activities at the premises of the Shaanxi Construction Engineering Group Corporation, a Chinese construction company constructing the new headquarters of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The Union said, it was protesting against dehumanizing conditions of work, the Nigerian workers are subjected to by the Chinese company.
The organised labour added that its mission is to liberate the workers at the construction company who are under slavery working condition.
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But in a swift reaction to the ugly industrial disharmony, the Nigerian Government said that any breach on the construction site by unscrupulous agents or individuals will not be tolerated and will be dealt with in accordance with the law.
In statement, signed by the Spokesperson
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Francisca Omayuli, the Federal Government, however, reiterated its commitment to the successful completion of the new ECOWAS Headquarters in Abuja.
The statement reads in part: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs received with grave concern, report of the violent protest that occurred at the construction site of the new ECOWAS Headquarters along the Airport Road in Abuja, Wednesday, 21st June, 2023. The incident, which involved workers agitation at the site, disrupted ongoing construction work and left an expatriate injured.
The Ministry wishes to inform the general public that it had since the 13th of June, 2023 been actively engaged in negotiations with relevant stakeholders, including the ECOWAS Commission, the National Union of Construction Workers and the NLC with a view to addressing the complaints and other Union matters tabled by the workers”.
The negotiations, FG, said, had progressed and shown positive signs towards the amicable resolution of the complaints.
Mrs. Omayuli, said, the recent intrusion by touts into the construction site, which is a diplomatic vicinity, constitutes a blatant violation of established regulations and is highly condemnable.
“In response to this regrettable development, the Ministry and the ECOWAS Commission contacted relevant security agencies, who deployed more personnel to the site to contain and bring the situation under control, while ensuring the safety of all the parties concerned,” the statement further said.
While, calling for restraint, the Foreign Ministry urged all the parties to refrain from taking laws into their hands, while the relevant stakeholders continue to work to resolve the issues at hand, through constructive dialogue and adherence to legal procedures.
Meanwhile, the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), has narrated the tragic episode that triggered the picketing the construction site to drive home its misgivings against the Chinese company.
Addressing the protesting workers, General Secretary of NLC, Comrade Emma Ugboaja, said, the Congress responded to complaint by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter of the construction workers union over bad working conductions at the construction site.
Revealing that the Chinese company engaged the workers on adhoc basis with no conditions of service attached nor any welfare or medical services in place, Mr. Ugboaja, lamented that due to the deplorable work conditions at the place, one of the workers, a driver, Mr. Augustine died out of neglect and lack of timely medical attention.
