The Federal Government will meet with representatives of organized labor on Monday in an attempt to avert a nationwide strike called by the Nigeria Labour Congress.
The NLC, on the other hand, has advised citizens to stock their homes with food, medicines, and other necessities ahead of the start of its seven-day strike to protest the removal of fuel subsidies and the rising cost of living in the country.
The warning was issued because the strike would cripple the country by severely restricting movement as commercial transport operators withdraw their services, forcing markets, schools, and healthcare facilities to close.
Chris Onyeka, the NLC's Assistant General Secretary, stated in an interview with one of our reporters:
According to News Agents, the NLC has given the government a seven-day ultimatum, with a nationwide strike set to begin on Wednesday, August 2, 2023. In a statement signed by its National President, Joe Ajaero, the labour movement accused the Tinubu-led Federal Government of failing to meet the demands it made following the removal of the subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, which caused an astronomical rise in the commodity's pump price.
Following the NLC's strike announcement, the government team immediately called for an emergency meeting with organized labor, including the NLC and Trade Union Congress, with a follow-up meeting at the State House on Friday.
However, officials from organized labor stormed out of the meeting in rage after the government team allegedly failed to show up.
Onyeka stated that the labor team would meet with the government on Monday, and that the outcome of the meeting would determine the next step.
"Nigerians must be prepared," he said. That's what we're saying. Being prepared entails stocking up on food and being frugal with your movement at this time to avoid becoming stranded. It will be a nationwide mass protest, and we are confident that it will affect every corner of the country. We are seriously mobilizing across the country. We are currently working at the secretariat.
“We may not shut down the power supply system, but as the protest goes on, we may shut down other places depending on the response of the government. The (Friday) meeting didn’t hold at all. The government side was not prepared. The representatives were not available. They didn’t show any seriousness towards what they were doing. One of the things we do is hold dialogues. We don’t run away from the table anytime they call us. We are having another meeting with them on Monday.”
The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas workers, and the National Union of Electricity Employees, on Saturday, confirmed that they were mobilising their members to ground the supply of fuel and the national electricity grid from Wednesday in response to the planned mass protest called by the NLC.
The General Secretary, NUPENG, Afolabi Olawale, told our correspondent, “The congress has taken a unanimous decision and it is mandatory that every affiliate should obey the directive of the Nigeria Labour Congress.”
When probed further to confirm if NUPENG was mobilising its members to halt the lifting of petroleum products, Olawale replied, “That’s it. I’ve given you an answer.”
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