NLC Suspends Nationwide Protest, Extends Ultimatum to FG

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has suspended its nationwide protests, which were held in different states of the federation earlier on Tuesday.

The Labour, in a communiqué at the end of its National Executive Council meeting, said the objectives of the protest were achieved on the first day of the demonstration.

The communique partly reads: “Consequently, NEC-in-session resolved as follows: to suspend street action for the second day of the Protest having achieved overwhelming success thus attained the key objectives of the 2-day protest on the first day.”

Recall that Nigeria has been hit by rising inflation, food inflation, forex crisis, economic hardship and high cost of living occasioned by the removal of petrol subsidy, attracting protests in parts of the country.

The Presidency had engaged labour leaders in a last-minute talks on Monday night, but the meeting ended in a stalemate as the NLC insisted that the protest was going to hold.

But NLC grounded economic activities across the country on Tuesday, with labour leader, Joe Ajaero, saying that the protest was about hunger and not just a clamour for a review of the minimum wage.

Ajaero said, “You have to understand it. This protest is about hunger. What of those who are not working? The minimum wage, when will it be completed? When will it be implemented? What will be the minimum wage that will remove hunger?”

The communiqué further stated: “the highest organ of the NLC suspended street action for the second day of the protest having achieved overwhelming success thus attained the key objectives of the 2-day protest on the first day.

“However, nationwide action continues tomorrow with simultaneous press conferences across all the states of the federation by the state councils of the Congress including the National Headquarters.

“To reaffirm and extend the 7-day ultimatum by another 7 days which now expires on the 13th day of March, 2024 within which the Government is expected to implement all the earlier agreement of the 2nd day of October, 2023 and other demands presented in our letter during today’s nationwide protest.

“To meet and decide on further lines of action if at the expiration of the 14 days Government refuses to comply with the demands as contained in the ultimatum.”