Prepare for Wednesday’s total strike, NLC warns Nigerians

Prepare for Wednesday’s total strike, NLC warns Nigerians

As the Federal Government hopes to meet with the representatives of the organised labour on Monday to avert a nationwide strike called by the Nigeria Labour Congress, the union says there is no going back on the industrial action.

The NLC has thus advised all Nigerians to stock their homes with food, medicines and other essential things ahead of the commencement of the strike on Wednesday, according to a report by Sunday Punch.

Newstrends had earlier reported that the NLC last week gave the government a seven-day ultimatum to reverse what it called anti-people policies recently announced or face a nationwide protest.

The protest is primarily against the removal of fuel subsidy resulting in increase in petrol pump price, school fees and general rising cost of living in the country.

The NLC said the need to stock homes with food became necessary because the strike would cripple the country as movement would be severely curtailed.

It said commercial transport operators would withdraw their services, while markets, schools and healthcare facilities would be forced to shut down.

Punch quoted Assistant General Secretary, NLC, Chris Onyeka, as saying in an interview that the citizens should also minimise their movements so as to avoid being stranded.

The NLC had given the government a seven-day ultimatum with threats of a nationwide strike scheduled to commence on Wednesday, August 2, 2023.

The labour movement in a statement signed by its President, Joe Ajaero, accused the Tinubu-led Federal Government of failing to meet up with the demands it presented to it following the removal of the subsidy on petrol.

Following the announcement of the strike by the NLC, the government team immediately called for an emergency meeting with the organised labour comprising the NLC and Trade Union Congress with a follow-up meeting on Friday at the State House.

However, officials of the organised labour angrily stormed out of the meeting following the alleged failure of the government team to show up.

Onyeka noted that the labour team would meet with the government on Monday, adding that the outcome of the meeting would determine the next step.

He said, “Nigerians should be prepared. That’s what we are saying. Being prepared means you have to stock food in your house and be economical with your movement at this particular point in time so as to avoid being stranded.

“It is going to be a nationwide mass protest and we are sure that it will affect every corner of the country.

“We are seriously mobilising across the nation. We are currently at work at the secretariat alongside the CSOs.

“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 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 in response to the planned mass protest called by the NLC.

The General Secretary, NUPENG, Afolabi Olawale, said, “The congress has taken a unanimous decision and it is mandatory that every affiliate should obey the directive of the Nigeria Labour Congress.”