In a significant development, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has declared an indefinite nationwide strike in response to the government’s refusal to address its demands.
The official announcement of the strike was made on Friday by Benson Upah, the Director of Information and Public Affairs for the NLC.
The union, which had initiated a two-day strike, cited the Federal Government’s failure to address their demands within the 14-day deadline that expired today as the primary reason for their decision.
Upah emphasized that none of their demands had been met, and the strike could commence at any moment.
“The Federal Government has failed to bring any proposals to the table, and there is no agreement on any of the resolutions we’ve jointly signed. The government appears unprepared,” said Upah.
He also clarified that while the National Executive Council (NEC) communique specified the ultimatum’s end date, it didn’t pinpoint when the strike would begin. This flexibility allows them to mobilize their actions strategically.
In a candid statement, Upah remarked, “This is the first government to remove fuel subsidies and seems perplexed about its course of action.”
Furthermore, Upah acknowledged the challenge of ensuring strict compliance this time, as compared to the previous two-day warning strike where compliance was not as closely observed.
When pressed about the measures to ensure compliance, Upah cryptically responded, “Have you ever heard of a great general disclosing their plans in public before launching an attack? We are fully prepared.”
The union also called upon the youth to participate, emphasizing that the nation belongs to them and urging them to reclaim it by taking a stand.
