Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Rivers State have suspended their planned protest over the continued Police blockade at Local Government Area Secretariats.
Chairmen of the Labour Centres said the suspension followed reports of plans by some individuals to incite violence under the guise of being Labour members.
At a Joint Press Briefing in Port Harcourt, NLC Chairman, Comrade Alex Agwanwor urged the police to apprehend anyone who protests in the Unions’ name today.
He advised Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) members who initially proposed the protest to wait for further directives from the Labour centres.
NLC Chairman and his TUC Counterpart, Comrade Ikechukwu Onyefuru, also dismissed accusations from former Local Government Chairmen that State Labour Leaders are partisan.
The NLC boss in the State acknowledged the police efforts at maintaining peace but stated that denying workers access to their offices breached their rights.
He urged the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, to instruct the Rivers State Commissioner of Police to grant workers access to their offices to carry out their legitimate duties.
The labour groups warned that they would mobilise their members to reclaim their offices if their appeal was ignored.