Fuel Subsidy Removal:NLC Declares 2-Day Warning Strike...Accuses FG Of Not Addressing Hardship

Nigeria Labour Congres (NLC) has concluded arrangements to mobilize workers for  a two-day warning strike  holding between Tuesday, September 5 and Wednesday September 6,in protest against the Federal Government for failing to address the hardship caused by the removal of fuel subsidy.

NLC is declaring the warning strike, inspite of the number of palliative packages being rolled out to workers by some of the State Governments including Ogun and Oyo 

The NLC President, Joe Ajaero, made the declaration on Friday during a press conference at the Labour House in Abuja, while speaking on resolutions by the NLC National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting the previous day.

According to the labour union,the Federal Government has  abandoned the negotiations with the organized labour by  failing to implement some of the resolutions from previous meetings with the government.

It will be recalled that the organised labour had on 2nd of August,2023,protested against what it described as the anti-people policies of the  of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration

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 proved abortive 

Last month, NLC president Joe Ajaero argued that the N5 billion approved for each state and the FCT to cushion the impact of fuel subsidy removal was inadequate to impact on the people.