The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has strongly criticized state governors attempting to ban labour unions, asserting that such actions are unconstitutional. Speaking at a town hall meeting with workers at the NLC Secretariat in Lokoja, Kogi State, on Monday, Ajaero reaffirmed that union activities fall under the exclusive legislative list in Nigeria’s Constitution, placing them beyond the control of state governments.
Ajaero’s remarks were in response to the ban on labour unions in state-owned tertiary institutions by former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello. He described the move as unlawful and emphasized that no governor has the authority to prescribe labour unions.
“Union practice falls under the exclusive legislative list in the Constitution. No governor has the power to ban them. You don’t ban what you don’t have control over,” Ajaero stated. “Unions are registered nationally by the Registrar of Trade Unions. For administrative convenience, they may choose to have branches in states, so what exactly are they banning?”
Expressing surprise at the existence of such bans, Ajaero maintained that only the federal government has jurisdiction over trade unions and their activities.
Beyond the issue of labour unions, Ajaero also criticized state governors for spending excessive time in Abuja rather than governing their states. He lamented that this absentee leadership has worsened economic and social hardships for workers and citizens.
“Most governors are now living permanently in Abuja. We have visited about five zones, and Kogi is the fifth. Out of all these, we have only met a governor in one state,” he said. “Each time you visit, they are in Abuja, and this is affecting governance.”
Ajaero stressed that governance should be decentralized so that citizens can engage directly with their leaders and experience the true dividends of democracy.
During the town hall meeting, the NLC leadership officially launched 10 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to help ease transportation for workers in Kogi State. The congress also took note of several long standing grievances raised by the workers, including:
- The 10-year-long proscription of labour unions in Kogi State Polytechnic, Kogi State University, and various state colleges of education, technology, and nursing.
- The non-implementation of annual salary increases.
- The lack of housing provisions for workers.
- The acute shortage of teachers in primary and junior secondary schools.
Ajaero assured workers that the NLC would push for solutions to these issues, pledging to convey their demands to Governor Usman Ododo. He noted that Kogi State holds strategic importance for the NLC, as both the governor and his deputy have backgrounds in union leadership. Governor Ododo was previously an NLC official in Niger State, while his deputy was an official of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT).
The NLC president underscored the congress’s dedication to advocating for workers’ rights, ensuring better governance, and holding state leaders accountable.
“This town hall meeting is an opportunity to listen to workers, assess what has been done right, and identify areas needing improvement,” Ajaero said. “We want to make sure that those who were once part of the labour movement are now upholding the values we fought for.”
With the NLC intensifying its efforts to protect workers’ rights across the country, Ajaero’s visit to Kogi State signals a renewed push against policies that undermine unionism and workers’ welfare.
