ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The organised labour comprising of the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), has declared a total nationwide strike effective Tuesday, 14 November, 2023.
The leadership of the two unions reached the resolution on Tuesday, 7 November, after an extraordinary National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, in Abuja, an official told The PUNCH under the condition of anonymity.
The leadership of the NLC and the TUC had earlier summoned what the unions described as an extraordinary NEC meeting.
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The aim of the meeting was to review the modalities of the planned strike following the brutalisation of the National President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, review of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the organised labour on 2 October, 2023, following the removal of the subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit which the labour centres said has caused “untold hardship” to Nigerians.
Meanwhile, the unions had, on Friday, issued a five-day ultimatum over the earlier arrest of the National President of the NLC, by the police in Owerri, Imo State, on Wednesday.
The labour centres demanded the redeployment of the commissioner of police in the state and the arrest and prosecution of the aide of the government who was alleged to have perpetrated the attack.
Also, the unions threatened to embark on a nationwide industrial action if their demands were not met in five days from Friday.
The NLC’s Head of Information, Benson Upah, disclosed that Ajaero was arrested by the police ahead of the state-wide protest in Imo on Wednesday.
The police however, denied arresting Ajaero, stating that he was merely taken into protective custody to prevent a mob attack.
Thisbis even as the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, accused the labour leader of meddling in the political affairs of the state.