The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has declared a two-day warning strike set to begin on Tuesday, September 5, in protest of the impact of petrol subsidy removal on the Nigerian populace.
This move comes approximately one month after the NLC, alongside the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and their affiliate unions, staged nationwide protests against what they deemed “anti-people” policies of the President Bola Tinubu administration.
On August 2, the organised labour unions took to the streets in various states, including Lagos, Abia, Plateau, Kaduna, Kano, Rivers, Zamfara, Katsina, Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu, Kwara, Ogun, Imo, Ondo, and Edo, alongside the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the Federal Capital Territory.
The protests were triggered by a seven-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government, demanding the “immediate reversal of all anti-poor policies of the federal government,” which included the recent hike in Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) prices, increased public school fees, and the release of eight months’ withheld salary for university lecturers and workers.
The NLC also insisted on an upward review of the minimum wage from N30,000 to N200,000. This decision came in light of President Bola Tinubu’s inauguration speech on May 29, 2023, where he signaled the end of fuel subsidies.
The NLC argued that since then, the livelihoods of Nigerians have been severely impacted.
Despite multiple meetings between the Presidency and the labour unions to discuss palliative measures for Nigerians suffering from the effects of petrol subsidy removal, no substantial agreement has been reached, leading to the declaration of the upcoming warning strike.
