Private employers of labour have warned the Nigeria Labour Congress against going ahead with its plans for a nationwide strike next week.

According to the Director-General of the Nigerian Employers Consultative Association, NECA, Adewale-Smart Oyerinde, the proposed strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, will be counter-productive if it goes ahead. NLC President, Joe Ajaero, had earlier this month called out workers on a two-day warning strike, which attracted a mixed compliance.

Ajaero warned that there will be a “total shut down of the economy” in 14 days unless the government reversed the pump price of petrol to pre-May 29, among other reasons.

In a statement, the NECA boss said the strike, if embarked on, will hurt employers and employees. He said that the government has already taken some realistic steps to reduce the pains of subsidy removal but maintained that more needs to be done.

“The approval of N5billion to each State is a step,” he said, adding that if the money is well spent it will improve the economy in the states. “We are also aware that the government is sharing rice. But, these efforts are not enough. “There is an opportunity to renegotiate the terms that have been agreed upon, if you don’t have the capacity to implement. “We are calling on the government to do all that is necessary to avoid the strike. “But if the strike should happen, it will be counter-productive for both employers and the workers.”