The Federal Government of Nigeria has been under fire from the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, for failing to address the problems brought on by the elimination of petrol subsidy, and the NLC has announced a two-day warning strike that will begin on Tuesday, September 5.
On August 2, organised labour demonstrated against President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s “anti-people” policies.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and various states, including Lagos, Abia, Plateau, Kaduna, Kano, Rivers, Zamfara, Katsina, Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu, Kwara, Ogun, Imo, Ondo, and Edo, saw protests by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), and their member unions.
Following a seven-day ultimatum to the federal government, the NLC demanded “the immediate reversal of all anti-poor policies of the federal government including the recent increase in PMS (Premium Motor Spirit) price, increase in public school fees, and the release of the eight months’ worth of withheld wages of university lecturers and employees.”
The union also called for an increase in the minimum salary from N30,000 to N200,000, claiming that since the President’s “subsidy is gone” inaugural speech on May 29, 2023, Nigerians have lost their sense of security.
Numerous talks between the Presidency and the unions to discuss relief measures for Nigerians experiencing hardship as a result of the elimination of the gasoline subsidy were unsuccessful.