The National Industrial Court in Port Harcourt, presided over by Justice Z M. Bashir has granted an order of interim injunction, calling off the proposed labour strike in Rivers State scheduled to commence on Tuesday, March 24, 2020.

The court ordered the leadership of the organised labour in the State under Beatrice Itubo, Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, Austin Jonah, Chairman, Trade Union Congress, Mathew Olaba (Secretary, NLC), Prince Ndukwe, and Opuwari A. Agbada (Joint Rivers Negotiating Council), or their proxy from embarking on the strike.

Parts of the Injunction reads, “The National Industrial Court, Port Harcourt (presided over by Honourable Justice Z. M. Bashir, J.) has granted an Order of Interim Injunction in Suit No. NICN/PHC/41/2020 (Attorney-General, Rivers State Vs. Comrade Beatrice Itubo, Comrade Austin Jonah, Comrade Mathew Olaba, Comrade Prince Ndukwe & Opuwari A. Ogbada), restraining the defendants either by themselves or through their servants, agents, privies, officers or otherwise howsoever called from embarking on a strike on Monday 23rd March 2020, or any other day thereafter, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive motion on notice filed in this suit.

“The court also granted an order of interim injunction restraining the defendants from interfering with the provision of services and other works by their members in the Civil Service of Rivers State pending the hearing and determination of the substantive motion on notice filed in this suit.”

But the Chairperson of the NLC, Beatrice Itubo, told our correspondent that labour in the state would go ahead with its proposed strike on Tuesday, adding that the union had not been served any court order stopping it from embarking on industrial action.

Labour in the state had said that it was embarking on strike over the controversy surrounding the amount paid to workers based on the new minimum wage among other issues.