The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on Monday said the proposed nationwide strike slated to begin on Tuesday would not disrupt activities at the ongoing Lagos International Trade Fair.
Mr Gabriel Idahosa, the Vice President, Trade Promotion Board of LCCI, said it was not likely that the organised labour would want to disrupt the event, being on the calendar of annual international trade fairs.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Lagos International Trade Fair, the 32nd edition, commenced on Nov. 2 and is billed to end on Nov. 11.
NAN reports that the Organised Labour had insisted on embarking on an indefinite nationwide strike over the non-implementation of N30, 000 as the new national minimum wage, in spite of the National Industrial Court ruling in Abuja.
Idahosa said: “We are not in the three classes negotiating; we are not government, private sector or state government.
“Also, if the proposed strike sees the light of the day, much efforts would be channelled to call it off because such could paralyse the nation’s economy,’’
He said that exhibitors at the fair were all resident within the fair arena, so they would not be affected by the strike.
The LCCI official said that contingency arrangements had been made to ensure there was enough diesel in the generator, while other arrangements had been perfected to ensure seamless operation at the fair in the event of an industrial action.
“We have reviewed our security arrangement in case the strike goes out of control; the possible abuse of the fair by miscreants will be dully taken care of by our security personnel.
“We will see what happens tomorrow and then, we take it up from there,’’ he said.
Idahosa said that there had been no communication from any labour agency indicating that the fair should not be operating throughout the period of strike.
According to him, the trade fair is organised by a voluntary association, and not an employer of labour, which the unions are fighting for.
“We are a non-profit organisation; we don’t have union environment around our operations and the labour union are aware of this fact.
“So, we don’t think they will want to disrupt the fair, because there is no reason to do that,’’ the LCCI official said.
He said that the proposed nationwide strike would, however, have a positive effect on the ongoing fair.
Idahosa said: “A nationwide strike will serve as an opportunity for workers to visit the fair, if there is no total lock down on transportation.
“When a lot of companies and government agencies are not operating, we will have more visitors and more sales.’’
NAN reports that the Nigerian Governors Forum had declared after its meeting that the state governors could only pay N22, 500 as the new national minimum wage.
Also, the Federal Government had insisted on N24, 000, while the organised labour reiterated its position that any figure below N30, 000 would not be acceptable to them as new national minimum wage.
