Nationwide Strike: Details as NLC Finally Hands over Letter of Demand to National Assembly

In a bid to address the escalating economic challenges facing Nigeria, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) orchestrated a nationwide protest, culminating in the delivery of a detailed letter of demands to the National Assembly.

The union’s president, Joe Ajaero, personally handed the letter to Senator Diket Plang, the Chair of the Senate Committee on Labour, Employment, and Productivity, signaling a critical step towards advocating for the welfare of Nigerian workers and citizens.

The NLC’s demands are both urgent and comprehensive, seeking immediate action on several fronts. Key among these demands are the full implementation of welfare provisions, initiatives to spur employment, substantial subsidies for farmers to enhance agricultural output, and crucial repairs to the country’s four main refineries.

These measures, according to the NLC, are vital in addressing the root causes of the country’s economic woes.

Ajaero, in his address to the National Assembly, painted a grim picture of the current state of affairs in Nigeria, likening it to the dire economic conditions once faced by Zimbabwe. He highlighted the ongoing negotiations for a new minimum wage, emphasizing that while discussions have begun, the final figures are yet to be agreed upon.

The protests, he explained, are a clarion call to the Federal Government to confront and resolve the myriad of issues plaguing the nation, from rampant inflation and the soaring cost of living to pervasive insecurity and general hardship.

Senator Plang, in response, assured the demonstrators that the NLC’s demands would not only be received but would also prompt immediate discussions among lawmakers.

The protest saw participation from a wide array of unions, including the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, the Nigeria Union of Teachers, and the Construction Workers’ Union, among others. Protesters armed with placards bearing messages like “#End Poverty and Hunger,” “#Fix Local Refineries End Subsidy,” and “#Tax the Rich Subsidise the Poor,” took to the streets to voice their frustrations over the deteriorating economic conditions across the country.