…vows mass action over anti-labour moves, warns FG on rising poverty, insecurity
The Nigeria Labour Congress has issued a stern warning to the Federal Government over what it describes as deepening hardship, escalating insecurity, and blatant constitutional violations that continue to endanger the welfare of Nigerian workers and citizens.
In a communiqué released at the end of its Central Working Committee meeting held on Friday, July 4, 2025, at the June 12 Cultural Centre in Abeokuta, the Congress said the country is fast descending into a socio-economic abyss, with workers and their families bearing the brunt of a broken system.
Signed by the NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, and General Secretary, Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja, the communiqué described the current economic situation as catastrophic, citing multidimensional poverty, soaring inflation, unaffordable food prices, crippling transport costs, and diminishing real wages as clear indicators that Nigerians have been deeply abandoned. The NLC accused the political class of being more focused on early political permutations ahead of the 2027 elections than addressing the urgent needs of suffering citizens.
The Labour body expressed strong reservations about the ongoing constitutional review process, warning that attempts to remove labour issues from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent List would be met with fierce resistance. It described such moves as an assault on Nigerian workers and called on all workers across the country to mobilise and begin picketing the offices of any National Assembly member found to be supporting the agenda. The Congress insisted that the review exercise must not be reduced to a political ritual but should instead tackle structural imbalances, enforce genuine fiscal federalism, and reform Nigeria’s flawed leadership recruitment process. It also called for the strengthening of the country’s electoral institutions to ensure that future elections reflect the true will of the people and not the result of vote-buying, rigging, or elite manipulation.
On national security, the CWC expressed outrage over the deteriorating state of safety across the country. The union cited shocking figures indicating that nearly 700,000 lives have been lost within a year due to insecurity, a toll more befitting a country at war. The NLC said the situation has made it impossible for farmers to access their lands and warned that food scarcity and famine now loom large. It called on the Federal Government and security agencies to abandon what it described as talk shops and empty promises and act decisively to restore order and public confidence.
The union also took a swipe at the Federal Government over the controversial withholding and diversion of local government allocations in Osun State. According to the communiqué, the funds meant for democratically elected councils were blocked through the alleged collusion of the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Minister of Finance, and the Central Bank of Nigeria. The NLC described the act as unconstitutional, a direct violation of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, and a breach of a valid Court of Appeal ruling that affirms the legitimacy of the current local government administrations in Osun. It demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the withheld funds and warned that failure to comply within a reasonable timeframe would trigger decisive action from the union.
The Congress did not spare some employers either, accusing them of violating workers’ rights by coercing employees into joining specific trade unions in breach of the Trade Union Act 2005 and relevant ILO conventions. It described the practice as an egregious abuse of authority and called on all affected affiliate unions to resist such unlawful actions. The NLC directed them to mobilise and picket any employer engaging in such practices and reaffirmed its commitment to defending the rights and dignity of Nigerian workers.
On the matter of transportation, the NLC acknowledged the recent donation of Compressed Natural Gas buses by the Federal Government but stressed that the gesture would mean little without a rapid and widespread rollout of CNG infrastructure across the country. It urged the government to act swiftly to reduce the cost of transportation and ease inflationary pressures on struggling households.
In conclusion, the NLC vowed to intensify engagements with all tiers of government to demand immediate policy interventions to alleviate the economic pain of Nigerian citizens. The Congress reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to defending democracy, promoting economic justice, and safeguarding the rights of all Nigerian workers.
