The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Joe Ajaero, has stated that the strike, which is set to begin in seven days, is aimed at liberating Nigerians from the constraints of government policies that have caused them agony.
This was stated by Ajaero during an appearance on Channels TV. He stated that the union was still assessing the situation, with the prospect that government policy can worsen already poor situations.
“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.
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President Bola Tinubu said in his May 29 inauguration address that “fuel subsidy is gone” about two months ago. The strategy resulted in a near-instant increase in petrol prices, from roughly N185 to N500, and as high as N617 last week. With rising transportation and food prices, thousands have resorted to long-distance walking.
The NLC president claims that the next strike will lessen the impact of the government’s policies on the general public.
“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 following its Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting on Tuesday, July 25, the NLC threatened to go on a total and indefinite strike beginning Wednesday, August 2, 2023, if the Federal Government did not act.