By Nationwide strike action commences midnight Wednesday
By Tajudeen Hamzat
More trouble has come for Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC with the labour movement resolving to down tools, effective midnight Wednesday to press home their demand for a new minimum wage in the country.
A statement to that effect has presently been released by Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC Secretary-General, Peter Ozo-Eson.
‘Representatives of organized labour, after due consultation and meetings, have therefore agreed that all unions and our Civil society allies should embark on a warning strike from midnight of Wednesday, 26th September, 2018,’ the statement outlined.
Congress therefore went ahead to make declarations to ensure that the strike action is effective:
“All affiliates and state councils are therefore expected to mobilize their members nationwide to ensure total compliance.”
The Trade Union Congress, TUC had earlier announced that its own strike action for the same purpose would commence on Thursday morning.
Citing inflationary pressures and cost of living challenges, organised labour is asking for a review of the existing minimum wage regime to now reflect a new figure of N65, 000.00.
The Buhari administration, which is seeking a second term in office in the already scheduled February 2019 presidential polls, has come under stinging criticism on account of its inability to very robustly grow the national economy.
The administration is also being criticised for failures in the area of security and national cohesion even as it recently suffered a shocking near-defeat in governorship elections that were held in one of its hitherto very safe strongholds, Osun State.
NLC President, Ayuba Wabba
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