The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has announced plans to embark on a two-day warning strike beginning on Tuesday, September 5, in protest against the Federal Government’s failure to address the challenges being faced by Nigerians over the fuel subsidy removal.
President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, announced this on Friday, September 1, at the Labour House, Abuja, after the union’s National Executive Council. The NLC accused the Federal government of abandoning past negotiations and failing to implement some of the resolutions from previous meetings.
Recall that on August 2, the organised labour protested the “anti-people” policies of the administration of President Bola Tinubu. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and their affiliate unions demonstrated in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and several states, including Lagos, Abia, Plateau, Kaduna, Kano, Rivers, Zamfara, Katsina, Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu, Kwara, Ogun, Imo, Ondo, and Edo.
The protest followed a seven-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government demanding “the immediate reversal of all anti-poor policies of the federal government including the recent hike in PMS (Premium Motor Spirit) price, increase in public school fees, the release of the eight months withheld salary of university lecturers and workers”. The union also demanded an upward review of the minimum wage from N30,000 to N200,000, saying that since the President’s “subsidy is gone” inauguration speech of May 29, 2023, the peace of mind of Nigerians has gone.
Several meetings between the Presidency and the unions on palliatives for Nigerians suffering hardship in the wake of the petrol subsidy removal have proved abortive.