The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has started mobilizing for a nationwide strike scheduled to begin on Wednesday. The strike was called by the union to protest the removal of fuel subsidy, which has resulted in hardship for citizens. The NLC urged Nigerians to join their protest at the Unity Fountain in Abuja on August 2, 2023.
The union demanded that the government take decisive action to address the issue of fuel subsidy and fix the country’s refineries to cater to domestic fuel consumption. They also expressed concerns about the government’s monetary policies, emphasizing that leaving the national currency to the forces of the market without control and protection was not reasonable.
Ahead of their meeting with the Federal Government on Monday and the planned strike on Wednesday, the NLC criticized the Tinubu-led administration, accusing it of playing games with the lives of Nigerians. They called on the government to reverse all “anti-poor policies” and release withheld salaries, including those of the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
Academic unions, including the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, have also started mobilizing their members to join the strike as affiliate members of the NLC. They expressed their active participation in the protest to show solidarity with the demands of the NLC.
