The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has announced that from Monday, protests and strike action will commence across the country over the federal government’s refusal to reverse prices of petrol and electricity tariff.
The body’s president, Ayuba Wabba, broke the news after the national executive council of the congress met in Abuja on Tuesday.
The pump price of petrol was increased earlier in the month while a new electricity tariff was implemented around the same period.
While marketers are currently selling petrol between N158 and N162 per litre, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) increased electricity tariff from N30.23 to N62.33 per kwh.
The NLC had earlier issued a two-week ultimatum to the federal government to reverse the increase in the price of petrol and electricity tariff.
At the end of Tuesday’s meeting, Wabba said the decision to implement the strike action was unanimously taken by the chairmen of the NLC in the 36 states and federal capital territory.
Several associations and students’ bodies had earlier protested against increase in petrol price and electricity tariffs, charging the NLC to mobilise a nationwide protest over the hike, a charge NLC did not immediately heed- announcing instead that it was still consulting.
The Nigerian worker in the last few years has been beset by a number of challenges including escalating food prices, multiple hikes in petrol prices, inflation and other forms of economic difficulties which limited the standard of living of the average Nigerian.
Many had accused the NLC of not doing enough to protect the welfare of the Nigerian worker. In several states, the new N30, 000 minimum wage is yet to be implemented even as governors of more than 20 states owe workers salary arrears of 3 months and upwards.
