The situation in Nigeria is now far more critical for workers than a year ago. The majority of the population has suffered the greatest attack on its living standards for a generation. This led to the explosion in crime and insecurity. There is an urgent need for intense mass mobilisations and a well-organized sustained national general strike until we achieve a decent minimum wage, reversal of the proposed electricity price hike and our other demands.
No-one can live on N30,000 or indeed N60,000. The NBS says that the cost of healthy food was at least N1,035 per adult per day (almost N32,000) without costs of transport or cooking. Around one in five households are severely food insecure, three are moderately food insecure and only one in five households are food secure, see: https://www.vanguardngr.com?p=2385742
The lowest minimum wage in the neighbouring countries is now N100,000 in Niger. In Chad it is nearly N150,000 a month. The Federal Government is lying when it says they cannot afford more – the FAAC meetings each month this year have distributed record amounts of oil money and states are collecting more internally generated revenue.
Numerous strikes are already taking place and there has even been protests by retired police officers. The NLC/TUC have issued ultimatums to governors of Abia, Ebonyi, Kogi, Sokoto, Zamfara over non-implementation of even the N30, 000 minimum wage. The health unions are gearing up for a strike over their salary scales and ASUU is moving towards action over its lingering demands. But what is missing is the power of a general strike of all the trade unions. Four general strikes have been called over the last year, but none of these provided the serious response we now need to change the government’s attitude.
We can make a difference. If we flood the NLC/TUC offices at state and national levels with demands for sustained action, this will give our leaders the confidence and impetus to provide the necessary leadership.
All trade union members need to talk to their branch officers etc about calling general meetings to discuss the attacks on our living standards. Trade union branches should organise townhall meetings and regular protests. We need trade union branches and state bodies of trade unions and NLC/TUC to send letters and motions to our unions and the NLC/TUC (at state and national levels) demanding the general strike is maintained until we achieve total victory.
If you are not a trade union member you can talk to any trade unionists you know about the need for a sustained general strike and the action that they should be taking.
What we do over the coming days can ensure we win the following demands and make a difference for the next five years and more:
- a decent minimum wage with annual increments in line with inflation
- payment of all salary and pension arrears in states and payment of proper palliatives
- reversal of school and tuition fee hikes and the introduction of a maximum affordable fee level
- payment of all with-held salaries to ASUU and other education unions for 2022 strike
- reversal of the hikes in petrol and electricity prices
- removal of the collection of levies, fees, dues and tolls from petty traders.
Biodun Olamosu, National Secretary, Socialist Labour
