The Federal Government has issued an earnest plea to the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to reconsider their scheduled two-day warning strike, set to commence on Tuesday.

This appeal, conveyed by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, in Abuja on Monday, is grounded in concerns about potential setbacks to the progress achieved by the Federal Government (FG) thus far.

Lalong cited the reversal of these gains as one of the primary reasons for the appeal and pledged to address the contentious issues raised by the NLC comprehensively, given some time to settle into the office.

Lalong emphasized, “It has become pertinent to appeal to the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to suspend its intended two-day warning strike, as such action would be detrimental to the gains already being recorded on our course to securing a greater future for Nigerian workers and citizens at large.”

He also requested that the NLC leadership allow the government some time to address the issues systematically.

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Lalong pointed out that the current administration’s cabinet had recently been sworn in, with cabinet members actively engaging in briefings from their respective Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

Consequently, the issues raised by the NLC are currently being reviewed and will be addressed in a holistic manner in the coming weeks.

Lalong took the opportunity to reassure Nigerian workers of the government’s commitment to their welfare and acknowledged their support and understanding.

He emphasized the government’s dedication to policies aimed at generating significant employment across various sectors of the economy and addressing immediate challenges stemming from government policies.

He stressed the importance of maintaining industrial peace for these goals to be effectively pursued.

Simultaneously, Lalong noted that while the ministry had not received official notification of the planned strike from the NLC, as legally required, the ministry had scheduled a meeting with labor leaders for 3 p.m. on Monday in an attempt to prevent the impending strike.