The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has announced its intention to embark on an indefinite strike if the Federal Government fails to meet its demands within the 21-day ultimatum, set to expire in approximately one week’s time. The workers’ union insists that the government’s response to the fuel subsidy removal has been insufficient, labeling the provided palliatives as an insult to Nigerians.
The NLC expressed its dissatisfaction with the government’s allocation of N100 million to each legislator while hundreds of thousands of Nigerians in every local government continue to face hardships, particularly in securing basic necessities like food.
Christopher Onyeka, the National Assistant General Secretary of the NLC, criticized the government for distributing a bag of rice to a dozen citizens while reportedly providing N100 million in palliatives to each member of the National Assembly. He emphasized that the proposed strike, which may commence next week, would lead to an indefinite shutdown of commercial and economic activities across the country.
The NLC issued a 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government on September 1, 2023, demanding wage awards, implementation of palliatives, tax exemptions, and allowances for public sector workers, as well as a review of the minimum wage. A two-day warning strike took place on September 5 and 6, partially affecting social and economic activities in various states.
Onyeka revealed that the government had failed to meet the workers’ demands, and the NLC would not provide prior notification to the government before taking any action it deems appropriate. He criticized the government for its perceived lack of negotiation efforts and good faith.
The NLC called upon Nigerians to unite and join hands to address these issues, emphasizing that collective efforts were essential to make the government responsive to the desires and interests of the Nigerian population.
