NLC Sets Conditions to Avert Nationwide Strike

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has outlined the conditions that would prevent the planned nationwide strike over the country's hardship. According to the NLC, the strike will not proceed if the federal government honors the agreement it made with the labour union.

In a letter addressed to the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, the NLC's Acting General Secretary, Ismail Bello, stated that the planned protest would be averted if the government fast-tracked the implementation of the agreement between now and the March 13, 2024, deadline.

The letter, titled “Has the government truly implemented the October 2, 2023, agreement,” expressed concerns regarding the government's claims of fulfilling 80 per cent of the October 2, 2023, agreement with organized labour. The NLC disputed this claim, stating that most of the 15 points outlined in the agreement had not been fully met.

The NLC highlighted issues such as the delay in paying the N35,000 wage award, the non-resumption of production at the Port Harcourt Refinery, and the failure to implement the promised N25,000 cash transfers to 15 million poor households. They also mentioned that tax waivers for workers, small businesses, and the general public, which were intended to reduce financial hardship, had not been implemented.

The NLC's letter underscored the importance of fulfilling the agreement to maintain trust between the government and the Nigerian people, especially between social partners. The NLC expressed readiness to address any contradictions in their observations but emphasized the need for urgent action to avert the planned strike.