There are indications the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) may shut down economic activities in the country on Wednesday, August 3, 2023, in protest of what they described as the government’s insensitive policies which have currently thrown millions of Nigerians into poverty, suffering and hardship.
A senior official of the Congress who confirmed the development to our Correspondent on Wednesday morning in Abuja, however, declined to mention it in print, as Congress was expected to make an officially statement on the planned strike later in the day.
The source said: “There will be an irrevocable strike action by NLC that will commence on 2nd August. The source also said that NLC will release an official statement on the planned strike.
Recall that the President of the NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, gave a hint about the strike in his address at the end of the 2023 Rain School held in Uyo Akwa Ibom State when he urged members of Congress to prepare their minds to respond to the cry of Nigerians in a creative and timely manner.
Ajaero said: “It is important that we quickly draw your attention to the insensitive and utterly unacceptable hike in the prices of Petroleum products by the government of Nigeria in the midst of the suffering occasioned by the earlier hike of the same product price to N537/Litre on the 29th day of May 2023.
“Nigerians were yet to grapple with the shock of that inauguration day price increase when just a few days ago, we were shocked by the announcement of a fresh price hike to N617/Litre by the agents of the federal government.
“To us comrades, this is most unconscionable and a further attempt at emasculating an already suffering and bent Nigerians who are currently groaning under the yoke of an unbending malevolent group presently occupying the corridors of power.
“We have pointed this out so as to prepare all of our minds for the battle that awaits all of us as we leave this place. The skills we have acquired here must be used to strategically respond to this nascent wickedness if we must remain relevant as the people cry out and ask; where is Labour and where is the NLC?
“A cry is out there in the streets comrades and we must respond creatively and timely to those calls. It is in the nature and robustness of our response that the testimony of what we have acquired these past days will be borne.
“It is truly going to be a demonstration of our resilience which is anchored on how we are able to meet the desires and expectations of those who look up to us for the articulation and defence of their rights and privileges.
“Our earlier nationwide action was sabotaged by an abnormal injunction procured and served on us in unholy circumstances from the Courts by the Government. Whether this antics of manipulating the Courts to sabotage our collective resolve will work this time is going to be left in the hands of Nigerians and the seriousness with which they see the imminent peril which our lives are being subjected to.”