The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has said that its strike scheduled to commence in seven days is aimed at liberating Nigerians from the shackles of government policies which have caused citizens pain.
Ajaero stated this when he appeared on Channels TV. He noted that the union was still analysing the situation with the possibility that the government policy could further plague already dire conditions.
“The situation would be worsened. It is rather a move to rescue Nigerians, to see whether the government can show some level of empathy for us to do things differently to enable Nigerians to survive,” he said
Almost two months, President Bola Tinubu, in his May 29 inaugural address, declared that “fuel subsidy is gone”. The policy led to a near-instant hike in fuel prices from around N185 to N500, and up to N617 last week. With rising transportation costs and food prices, thousands have resorted to trekking long distances.
The NLC president argues that the imminent industrial action is to reduce the impact the government’s policies have had on the people at large.
“It can’t get worse than it is today. The impact we are talking of is either the impact on commodities or the impact on the people. What we are resisting, what we are fighting against, is the impact on the people and the impact is so much. It is worse. I don’t know what other consideration one can look at, every government policy in a nation is aimed at benefiting the nation. The naira is gone, economic activity is gone, foodstuff gone. (In terms of) movement, you can’t move, and transportation is gone.” he said
In a communiqué issued at the end of its Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting held on Tuesday, July 25, the NLC threatened to embark on a total and indefinite strike starting Wednesday, August 2, 2023, should the Federal Government fail to do the needful.