NLC To Embark On Nationwide Strike on Wednesday…

The Nigeria Labour Congess (NLC) has declared a nationwide strike from next Wednesday.

NLC President Joe Ajaero made the announcement after an emergency meeting of the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) in Abuja.

He said the government, particularly the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited had up until Wednesday next week to revert to the old price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) otherwise referred to as petrol.

Ajaero added that failure of the Federal Government to meet the ultimatum would attract an indefinite protest across the country.

On Monday during his inaugural speech at the Eagle Square in Abuja, Tinubu said the era of subsidy payment on fuel has ended, adding that with the 2023 budget making no provision for fuel subsidy, further payment was no longer justifiable.

The presidential pronouncement led to an almost instant resurgence of fuel queues across the country with Nigerians foraging for the premium product.

Though Tinubu’s decision received backing from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and House of Representatives, it has since been resisted by the NLC and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC).

On Wednesday, an hours-long meeting between the Federal Government and the NLC on the matter ended without a consensus.

On the organised labour’s side, the NLC National President, Joe Ajaero; and the President of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Festus Osifo, were present.

The NLC demanded that the Federal Government return to status quo by reversing the price of fuel before resuming negotiations with labour.

Ajaero insisted that the Federal Government did not enter into any conversation even on palliative measures for Nigerians, hence the rejection of the latest announcement.