Economic activities in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and major cities cross Nigeria may likely come to a halt starting from Wednesday, 2 August, as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and its affiliate unions will take to the streets to protest against hike in fuel pump price, tuition fees increase in public schools and the Federal government’s refusal to pay 9 months withheld salaries of lecturers and workers in universities.
NLC’s Central Working Committee (CWC), in July 25, 2023, pronounced that the Congress will kickstart an industrial action on August 2, against “anti-poor policies of the Federal government.
The CWC, further “direct all affiliates and state councils (of NLC) to begin immediate mobilization and closely work with associations, individuals and other entities including the ones already on the streets to ensure that government listens to the people.”
Subsequently, the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of NLC held on 27 July, affirmed the decision of the CWC and went on to call on Nigerians to join the Congress on the streets across the country to protect in the interest of saving Nigeria from falling into deeper economic quagmire.
“NEC call on all civil society organisations and Nigerians wherever they may be to begin mobilization to take action on their own to save our nation.”
Meanwhile, NLC on its Twitter handle on Sunday, called on Nigerians: “Come out en mass; stop the lamentation, be part of the struggle for a better nation.”
In another post titled “Our position on fuel subsidy removal”, NLC said; “There is nowhere in the world where government leaves itd citizens totally totally the vagaries of the market without some measures of control and protection. The Federal Government should therefore deal decisively with the criminal content if subsidy instead of exposing the ordinary citizens to avoidable pain and hardship.
“As as matter of urgency nation importance, it is imperative to fix all our refineries to be able to cater for thr domestic fuel consumption. Further, government should go after parties associated with corruption such as over-invoicing, under delivery of products, overestimating of national capacity, crude oil swaps, smuggling, and make them to account etc.
“We are concerned that no government acting reasonably, leaves its nationL currency to forces of the market. Government’s so-called merger of exchange rates even when it has nothing to export other than crude oil raised our debt stock to N81 trillion from N72 trillion. It also impacts negatively on the cost of locally produced goods and services as a lot of inputs are imported.
“Finally, to address the raging revenue crisis the government needs to deal decisively with crude oil theft and tax the rich progressively. It is time for the rich to make sacrifices. Thr poor have done enough; there is nothing more to give.
“We need to support poor and vulnerable Nigerians through structures and comprehensive social protection. There must be comprehensive government support for education and health sectors instead of commercializing them.
“Our demands are: Immediate implementation in good faith of the resolutions with Congress jointly signed with government and TUC. Immediate reversal of all anti-poor policies of government including the recent hike in PMS price, school fees and VAT. Fix our local refineries in Port-Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna. Release of 8 month withheld salaries of University lecturers and workers. Immediate inauguration of the Presidential Steering Committee and Sub-Committees as agreed in previous communications. To put a stop to inhuman actions and policies of government.
Meanwhile, a senior staff at the NLC headquarters in Abuja, earlier told Nigerian Tribune that the Congress is working tirelessly to ensure the success of the industrial action. NLC has been in marathon meetings with coalition of civil society organizations, student bodies, market men and women and business organisations to ensure that economic activities across Nigeria is totally shutdown in solidarity. The source added.
Furthermore, the NLC senior staff revealed that all affiliate unions of the Congress have dispatched directives to their state councils to commence mobilization for the action. According to the staff, it will be an all out protest and labour will not restrain from the action until government heed to their demands.
The source also said that all affiliate union members are expected to participate in the protest across the nation, from aviation workers, lecturers, teachers and no academic workers, electricity sector workers, judiciary staff, maritime to the last member of all the unions affiliated to NLC. Therefore economic activities is expected to be on hold till labour decide otherwise.
