BREAKING: Total Lockdown As Nationwide Strike Begins

BREAKING: Total Lockdown As Nationwide Strike Begins

The Leadership of the organized labour, Following a four-hour meeting between the leadership of the National Assembly in Abuja on Sunday evening, confirmed that the nationwide industrial action scheduled to commence on Monday, June 3, 2024, will proceed as planned.

“For now, we don’t have the power to call off the strike, tomorrow (Monday) morning, the strike will kick off as we take their (NASS) plea asking us to call off the strike to our various organs,” said Festus Osifo after the meeting with NASS leadership.

This decision means that various essential services such as fuel distribution, healthcare, schools, courts, and banks across the country will be disrupted as the organised labour unions embark on an indefinite strike.

The primary reasons for this strike include demands for a new minimum wage and the recent increase in electricity tariffs.

The engagement involved key figures such as the President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Osifo, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, as well as Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas.

Despite efforts from legislators to persuade workers to reconsider their stance, the deadlock between the Federal Government and the labour unions regarding the minimum wage and electricity tariff issue led to the confirmation of the strike action.

The National Assembly said the meeting was to “avert the impending industrial action” to commence on Monday, June 3, 2024, “which would have severe repercussions on the populace and economy”.

The labour unions argue that the current minimum wage of ₦30,000 is inadequate to support the average Nigerian worker’s livelihood, especially considering that not all state governors are complying with the existing wage award.

They emphasize the necessity for a review of the Minimum Wage Act of 2019, which mandates a revision every five years to align with the changing economic landscape and workers’ needs.

With the May 31 deadline set by Organised Labour for the government to address their concerns regarding the minimum wage, the failure to reach a consensus has prompted the announcement of a nationwide strike starting from June 3, 2024.

According to reports gathered from Channels TV and Vanguard, it is worth noting that during the failed talks with the government, Labour rejected three government’s offers, the latest being N60,000.

Both the TUC and the NLC subsequently pulled out of negotiations, insisting on ₦497,000 as the new minimum wage.