The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has commenced a two-day warning strike across the country to protest the removal of fuel subsidy by the federal government.
The strike, which started on Tuesday, September 5, 2023, is expected to paralyze activities in the critical sectors of the economy, such as electricity, telecommunications, banking, aviation, and manufacturing.
The NLC had earlier issued a 14-day ultimatum to the government to reverse the fuel price hike or face industrial action. The ultimatum expired on Monday, September 4, 2023, without any positive response from the government.
The NLC President, Joe Ajaero, said the warning strike was a demonstration of the workers’ readiness for an indefinite strike later in the month if their demands were not met.
He said the removal of fuel subsidy had increased the suffering of Nigerians, especially workers and the poor masses.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, appealed to the NLC to suspend the strike and give the government two weeks to address their issues. He said the government was committed to dialogue and finding lasting solutions to the challenges facing the country.
