SGF labels national grid shutdown by organised Labour as treasonable offense

By Innocent Raphael

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. George Akume has condemned the recent shutdown of Nigeria’s national grid by Organised Labour, calling it a “treasonable offense.”

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) attributed the grid shutdown to labour’s enforcement of a nationwide strike, spurred by the Tripartite Committee’s failure to agree on a new minimum wage by the May 31 deadline.

Speaking at the National Executive Council meeting of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Thursday, Akume emphasized the severity of the shutdown. “It is treason! Treasonable felony is economic sabotage, you don’t do that,” he stated.

While urging labour to avoid actions that could undermine governmental efforts to rebuild the economy, he highlighted that no other country has witnessed labour interrupting the national grid and criticized such actions as detrimental to national progress.

Akume reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to a new minimum wage and stressed the importance of productivity and economic stability.

He argued that demands for higher wages must be balanced with productivity efforts to control inflation and ensure a stable economy.

The SGF also called for collaboration between religious institutions and the government to provide essential services, particularly in education, health, and agriculture. He underscored the necessity of a symbiotic relationship between the church and the government to enhance public welfare.

Addressing economic reforms, Akume acknowledged the challenges posed by the recent removal of fuel subsidies, urging the public to understand the rationale behind this decision.

He detailed the government’s measures to mitigate the resulting hardships, including a N35,000 wage award for workers and the allocation of significant funds for transportation and food cost reduction.

The government has also introduced several support measures for various sectors, including N125 billion in conditional grants and financial inclusion for medium and small enterprises, and N150 billion in palliative loans to states. Also, a N200 billion fund has been allocated to support large-scale agricultural initiatives.

Akume further announced that buses and essential commodities such as rice would soon be distributed to further ease the burden on citizens, reiterating the administration’s dedication to economic recovery and stability.