The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) have jointly issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government, urging the fulfilment of agreements reached after the subsidy removal policy.
In a joint statement, NLC’s Joe Ajaero and TUC’s Festus Osifo express concern over the dire economic situation faced by Nigerians, warning of potential industrial unrest if the government fails to intervene within the stipulated timeframe.
The labour leaders lament the non-implementation of the 16-point agreement reached on October 2, 2023, emphasizing that crucial aspects of these agreements, aimed at addressing the socioeconomic consequences of fuel price hike and Naira devaluation, remain unmet or negligibly addressed.
Ajaero and Osifo highlight the severe consequences of these policies, including widespread hunger, eroded workers’ purchasing power, and escalating insecurity. They criticize the government’s apparent lack of effective measures to alleviate the burdens imposed on the citizens.
The unmet agreements range from wage awards and palliative adjustments to improved access to public utilities to issues like interference in union activities, as seen in the case of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the illegal proscription of Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) by the Lagos State Government.
Issuing a stern ultimatum, NLC and TUC demand that the Federal Government honours its part of the understanding within 14 days from February 9, 2024, to avert potential industrial action and safeguard the rights and dignity of Nigerian workers and citizens.
