The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has given President Bola Tinubu‘s administration seven days to rescind “all anti-poor” measures, including the increase in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as fuel.
In a statement issued at the conclusion of its Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting on Tuesday, the labor union threatened to go on a total and indefinite strike on Wednesday, August 2, 2023, if the Federal Government did not act.
NLC President Joe Ajaero and NLC General Secretary Emmanuel Ugboaja both signed the communique.
According to the NLC, the Federal Government has displayed immense scorn and contempt for the Nigerian people, declaring a war of attrition against Nigerian workers and masses.
The labour union said since the President’s “subsidy is gone forever” speech on inauguration day on May 29, 2023, “the peace of mind of Nigerians has gone”.
It said the “government has continued to treat Nigerians as slaves and a conquered people which it treats with impunity without any concern on the consequences”.
“That the Federal Government has continued in an unholy mission of robbing the poor to pay the rich in Nigeria as typified by its continued frustration of the activation of the agreed alternatives to Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and new hike in prices of PMS to N617 per litre,” the communique partly read.
“That the NNPCL (Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited), has turned itself into the forces of demand and supply and fixes the price of Petroleum products while mouthing deregulation.
“That Government’s conduct suggests it does not intend to commit itself to the MoU it signed with NLC and TUC (Trade Union Congress).
The NLC thereafter demanded “the immediate reversal of all anti-poor policies of the federal government including the recent hike in PMS price, increase in public school fees, the release of the eight months withheld Salary of university lecturers and workers”.
Others include the Presidential Steering Committee’s immediate inauguration.
The union gave “the Federal Government a seven-day ultimatum within which to meet all our demands and to embark on a nation-wide action beginning Wednesday the 2nd of August, 2023 to compel the government to reverse its anti-poor and anti- workers policies.”
The NLC promised to lead and organize nationwide protest rallies to express displeasure at the government’s “inhuman actions and policies.”
