Organised Labour don give Federal Government two-week ultimatum make e reduce price of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, wey pipo sabi as petrol, back to wetin e be before dem sign current national minimum wage for 2024. Labour tok say the measure go cushion the impact of energy crisis on workers and masses, as other countries dey do.
Labour also demand say Federal Government must start process of renegotiating new national minimum wage before end of October. The demands dey inside communiqué wey come from joint meeting of National Executive Council, NEC, and Central Working Committee, CWC, of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC. NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, sign the communiqué.
According to the communiqué, the joint meeting issue two-week ultimatum to Federal Government, starting from Friday, October 9, 2026, within which government suppose do some things. Dem say make government take measures reduce petrol price across Nigeria to wetin e be when dem sign current national minimum wage for 2024, to cushion energy crisis on workers and masses like other countries dey do. Dem still say make government commence process of renegotiating new national minimum wage.
The communiqué also demand say government must implement the Terms of Settlement wey dem reach with Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Healthcare Professionals, JOHESU, on February 5, 2026, and address other demands wey don arise since then. Labour add say government must implement demands of Joint Public Sector Negotiating Council, JPSNC. If government fail, NLC go take remedial steps as relevant organs go direct.
The joint meeting, according to communiqué, look at state of nation, existential threats wey Nigerian workers and downtrodden masses dey face, and urgent tasks wey trade union movement for Nigeria dey confront. After extensive discussions on grave economic and political crises, plus survival challenges wey workers and nation dey face, NEC-in-session join with CWC reach resolutions.
On state of nation and crises wey Nigerian workers and masses dey face, the meeting note with profound alarm the deepening misery wey Federal Government neo-liberal policies and state institutions dey inflict on Nigerian working class and broader masses. Inflation dey soar unabated, naira remain traumatised, wages don become worthless, and cost of living don become unbearable.
The communiqué talk say ruling elite, as enforcers of global monopoly capital, show worrying indifference to suffering of people, and choose to transfer burden of fiscal negligence onto already impoverished working masses. NEC-in-session declare say no society can sustainably develop under regime of corporate plunder and neo-liberal enslavement. The Nigerian working people must remain resolute, organised and uncompromising in collective struggle for fair and equitable Nigeria.
On urgent need to commence renegotiation of national minimum wage, communiqué state say joint meeting observe with grave concern say current national minimum wage don become worthless because naira dey depreciate and cost of living dey rise astronomically. Nigerian workers no longer fit afford basic necessities of life like food, shelter, healthcare, transportation and education on current wages.
Consequently, NEC-in-session demand say Federal Government commence renegotiation of national minimum wage before end of this month. Congress demand living wage wey reflect true cost of living and dignity of Nigerian worker. Any further delay by Federal Government unacceptable.
The communiqué further state say meeting deliberate on urgent need to reduce petrol price. Joint meeting reiterate call on Federal Government to work with relevant agencies to immediately reduce price of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, wey pipo sabi as petrol. The exorbitant pump price of petrol don get cascading effect on cost of transportation, food and other essential goods, and e dey deepen hardship wey workers and masses dey face.
Government must abandon insensitive policies wey allow indiscriminate hikes in prices of petroleum products, wey only serve to enrich handful of oil marketers while pauperising masses, communiqué talk. On tax relief and wage awards, joint meeting demand say Federal Government grant tax relief to workers as agreed and immediately provide wage awards to cushion impact of rising cost of living.
The communiqué talk say these measures na bare minimum required to alleviate suffering of Nigerian workers and restore measure of dignity to their lives. Government no fit continue to demand sacrifice from workers without offering any relief to suffering masses and workers.
NEC-in-session reaffirm historical responsibility of NLC to resist all forms of exploitation and oppression. E call on all affiliates and progressive allies to remain on high alert and fully prepared to engage in decisive action against all anti-people policies. Congress reiterate say Nigerian working people must remain resolute, organised and uncompromising in collective struggle for fair and equitable Nigeria.
