In a recent development, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has announced a nationwide strike scheduled to commence next Wednesday.
Following an urgent gathering of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the union in Abuja, Joe Ajaero, the President of the NLC, has declared the announcement.
In response to the fuel shortages that have been plaguing the country, Congress has announced its decision to take action. This comes after President Bola Tinubu’s recent inaugural speech, in which he declared the removal of subsidies.
According to Tinubu, the absence of fuel subsidy provisions in the 2023 budget renders their payment unjustifiable. He said, the government will be redirecting funds towards infrastructure and other sectors in order to bolster the economy.
The president’s announcement resulted in a shortage of fuel and lengthy lines at gas stations throughout the nation. Petrol prices have surged to over N500 per liter at present.
According to Ajaero, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has been given a deadline of next Wednesday to return to the previous price of gasoline.
Source claim that, if the federal government fails to meet the ultimatum, an indefinite protest will be staged across the country. A deadlock was reached on Wednesday during an hour-long meeting between the Federal Government and the NLC regarding the matter at hand.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has made a demand of the Federal Government, insisting that negotiations with labor cannot resume until the government returns to the status quo by reversing the fuel price.
According to Ajaero, the Nigerian government has not engaged in any discussions regarding palliative measures for its citizens. As a result, an industrial strike is set to begin next Wednesday.
