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In a press conference held in Abuja on Monday, TUC President Festus Osifo announced a nationwide strike initiated by the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria.
The directive, effective from midnight on November 14, 2023, calls for a withdrawal of services until “government at all levels wake up to their responsibility.”
The move is a response to the assault on NLC President Joe Ajaero and other congress executives in Owerri, Imo State, on November 1. The unions also cite unresolved labor issues in Imo State as contributing factors to the widespread strike.
The situation escalated further as Ajaero was reportedly arrested by the police ahead of a state-wide protest in Imo, according to NLC’s Head of Information, Benson Upah. Contrary to the police’s claim that Ajaero was taken into protective custody, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma accused the labor leader of meddling in the political affairs of the state.
The strike signals a heightened tension between labor unions and the government, demanding attention to both the safety of their members and pressing labor concerns in Imo State.
As the nation braces for the impact of the strike, the government’s response and efforts to resolve the issues will be closely watched.
