By Usman Peter
The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC has said it will commence nationwide strike beginning from Wednesday 29 March, 2023 after the one week given to the Federal Government has been exhausted without addressing naira drought.
President, Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Jeo Ajaero, who gave the hints during a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, said the organised labour union has no obtion than to mobilise members for industrial action so as to compel the government to do the needful.
Recall that the NLC gave one week ultimatum to the Federal Government to address the issue of Naira scarcity that has caused considerable pains and hardship to the people.
Also recall that during the one week ultimatum, the NLC asked the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, NNPC and the federal government to normalise the fuel supply situation to alleviate the suffering of the people.
Comrade Ajaero expressed displeasure that a situation where workers find it difficult to go to the office because of lack of cash has become unbearable hence the need to compel the government to do the needfull.
“Last week at the end of our Central Working Committee, CWC meeting, we gave a one week ultimatum for the federal government to address issue of cash crunch that was caused by the policy, nothing seriously was done about it. As at this morning when the CWC met again to review the situation, we discovered that not much, improvement has been made.
“People are still buying our currency with our currencies. People can no longer access the currency and the government seems to be very adamant on this. No moves have been made by government to reduce the suffering of Nigerians.
“Consequently, the Central Working Committee, CWC-in-session resolved to go into the process of actualizing the one week notice.
“From Friday, there will be mobilisation of all state councils through a NEC meeting. All unions have already been directed to mobilise all their organs and their branches. By Wednesday, next week, all Central Bank of Nigeria offices nationwide will be picketed.” He said.
The NLC boss stated that all Central Banks, and the CBN Headquarters will be shut down until further notice, adding that workers have been directed to stay at home and join in the picketing exercise.
“We call on Nigerians to understand the circumstances we’re operating in. People will be telling you about the political situation, the political situation is self inflicted and the economic situation is worst than the political situation because people cannot eat.
“Workers can no longer go to office and nothing is happening. So we have been pushed to the wall having given one week and we thought they could address the situation which is not addressed.
“We have decided to take our destiny in our hands. So comrades, the mobilisation commences immediately and when we talk of action from Wednesday, it’s total until further notice.” Ajaero said.
