After an extended vacation in both Lagos and Paris, France, it seems the party is over for President Bola Tinubu as the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have sent a notice of a 14-day national strike to the federal government.
The unions said that the 16-point agreement that was reached on October 2, 2023, between them and the federal government, has not been implemented.
The national leadership of the TUC and NLC expressed sadness that the government appears indifferent to the widespread suffering and adversity in the nation, despite their attempts to maintain industrial peace.
The unions in a statement said: “The October 2nd agreement was focused on addressing the massive suffering and the general harsh socioeconomic consequences of the ill-conceived and ill-executed IMF/World Bank-induced hike in the price of PMS and the devaluation of the naira. These dual policies have had, as we predicted, dire economic consequences for the masses and workers of Nigeria.”
They further lamented: “It is regrettable that we are compelled to resort to such measures, but the persistent neglect of the welfare of citizens and Nigerian workers and the massive hardship leave us with no choice.
“Constrained by this development and recognising the urgency of the situation and the imperative of ensuring the protection and defence of the rights and dignity of Nigerian workers and citizens, the NLC and TUC hereby issue a stern ultimatum to the Federal Government to honour their part of the understanding within 14 days from tomorrow, the 9th day of February 2024.”
