Organised labour, on the platform of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has said the seven-day ultimatum they gave the Federal Government to reverse all anti-people policies, including the fuel subsidy matter, was as a result of government’s perchant of robbing the masses to feed the rich.
Labour equally said: “The government seems to have declared a war of attrition on Nigerian workers and masses without any care leaving them to the throes of hopelessness and helplessness.”
These were part of the reasons NLC said it declared a nationwide strike, beginning August 2.
They made their points in a communique released at the end of the Central Working Committee, CWC, meeting held Tuesday, July 25, at Abuja Labour House.
The document was signed by President and General Secretary of NLC, Joe Ajaero and Emma Ugboaja, respectively.
They demanded “the immediate reversal of all anti-poor policies of the federal government including the recent hike in PMS price, increase in public school fees, the release of the eight months withheld salary of university lecturers and workers and increase in VAT.”
According to NLC, “The federal government has refused to put in place safeguards to protect Nigerians from the harsh economic situation that its policies have inflicted on the people rather it has decided to insult the sensibilities of Nigerian masses by offering us N8,000 per family and offering themselves N70 billion.
“The federal government has frustrated and abandoned its own committee which was a product of social dialogue between the government and workers organisations in the country.
“While the committee has not met, the government embarked on unilateral actions and programmes. Since Mr. President’s ‘subsidy is gone forever’ speech at inauguration day; the peace of mind of Nigerians has gone and decent living gone increasing despair of unimaginable dimensions.
“The federal government has continued to treat Nigerians as slaves and a conquered people which it treats with impunity without any concern on the consequences.
“The federal government has continued in an unholy mission of robbing the poor to pay the rich in Nigeria as typified by its continued frustration of the activation of the agreed alternatives to Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, and new hike in prices of PMS to N617 per litre.
“The federal government has continued to promote the gang-up of the ruling elite against Nigerian people and workers.”