In a move that could mean complete shutdown of the country, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has commenced mobilisation ahead of its planned nationwide strike and protest billed to start on Wednesday.
The NLC had threatened to embark on strike if the federal government did not reverse subsidy removal, which has occasioned hardship for the masses.
In a schedule at the weekend, the NLC urged Nigerians to “join us at the Unity Fountain, Abuja on Wednesday, August 2, 2023, at 7 am.”
It said, “There is nowhere in the world where government leaves its citizens totally to the vagaries of the market without some measure of control and protection. The Federal Government should immediately deal decisively with the criminal content of subsidy instead of exposing ordinary citizens to avoidable pain and hardship.
“As a matter of national importance, it is imperative to fix all our refineries to be able to cater to domestic fuel consumption,” the NLC said.
Speaking further on the recent monetary policies rolled out by the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government, the NLC said, “We are concerned that no government acting reasonably leaves its national currency to forces of the market.”
Insisting on its demands, the union reiterated the need for the government to immediately reverse all “anti-poor policies”, and release the withheld salaries of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, among others.
Ahead of its meeting with the Federal Government scheduled to be held today (Monday) and the nationwide strike scheduled to begin on Wednesday, the NLC said the Tinubu-led administration was playing games with the lives of Nigerians.
The congress also called on the government to take seriously the engagement with the labour unions.
Speaking to Punch in Abuja on Sunday, the National Treasurer, NLC, Hakeem Ambali, recounted how the government shunned the Friday, July 28, 2023 meeting with labour leaders at the State House.
He further questioned the government’s intentions for approving N70bn as palliatives for members of the National Assembly while it continued to “play games” with labour.
He said, “Government needs to take engagement with Labour seriously. The government’s economic policy had meted untold hardship on Nigerian people and workers’ patience is running out. How can the government approve about N70bn to National Assembly members and about N35bn to the judiciary, those who are very comfortable in terms of salary, and continue to play game with Labour?”
Meanwhile, academic unions, such as the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, have also begun nationwide mobilisation of their members for the strike scheduled to commence on Wednesday.
Senate to meet govt, NLC over planned strike
Meanwhile, the Senate on Monday directed its leadership to meet with the Federal Government and the NLC to avert the impending nationwide strike action.
The resolution of the Senate followed a motion titled: “Urgent need to avert impending nationwide strike being called by the Nigeria Labour Congress over the removal of fuel subsidy” sponsored by Senator Sulaiman Kawu (NNPP-Kano South).
Kawu in his lead debate insisted that the strike would have a devastating effect on the nation’s economy if allowed to hold.
Senators Isah Jibrin, Seriake Dickson, and Solomon Adeola supported the motion.
They called on the NLC to shelve the proposed strike and allow the palliatives being planned by the Federal Government to ameliorate the suffering of the people.
Isah Jibrin (APC, Kogi East), said, “The motion is timely and every reasonable Nigerian would not want us to go on strike again.
“A strike usually has intended and unintended consequences both on the rich and the poor.
Appeal to labour unions to shelve the strike.”
Dickson also said, “We must commend the President for having the courage to remove the fuel subsidy.
“The economic situation as a result of the removal has brought untold hardship on the people.
“Therefore, the need for more palliatives other than the N500billion already unveiled by the Federal Government.“
Also, Senator Solomon pleaded with the NLC to give more time to the presidency as some pro-people policies like palliatives, and increased minimum wage were also in the pipeline.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio called on local government areas and state governments to work together to ameliorate the sufferings of the people. We cannot continue to use 98 per cent of our revenue to service fuel subsidy.
[…] 1 min agoby Latest TodayIn a move that could mean complete shutdown of the country, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has commenced mobilisation ahead of its planned nationwide strike and protest billed to start on Wednesday. The NLC had threatened to embark on strike if the federal government did not reverse subsidy removal, which has occasioned hardship for the […]READ FULL STORYFacebookTwitterWhatsApp […]