Regina Otokpa 
Following expiration of the seven days ultimatum issued to the Federal Government to address the cash and fuel scarcity crises in the country, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has directed its branches nationwide to begin mobilisation of members to embark on a nationwide strike next week Wednesday. NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, who briefed newsmen yesterday Abuja, noted that mobilisation would start tomorrow, while the total shutdown of economic activities across the nation would commence on Wednesday.
Ajaero explained that the strike had become necessary given the failure of the Federal Government to address the harsh conditions and sufferings Nigerians and workers have been subjected to as a result of its policies. His words: “Last week, at the end of our CWC meeting, we gave a oneweek ultimatum for the Federal Government to address immediately, among other things, the issue of cash crunch that was caused by the policy. As at this morning when the CWC met again to review the situation, we discovered that not much improvement has been made.
“The situation is still almost the same. People are still buying our currency with our currencies. Still, people can no longer access the currency, and the government seems to be unperturbed. No moves have been made to reduce the suffering of Nigerians. “Consequently, the CWC-in-session resolved to go into the process of actualising the one-week notice. “From (tomorrow) Friday, there will be mobilisation of all state councils through a NEC meeting. All unions have already been directed to mobilise all their organs and their branches. By Wednesday, next week, all Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) offices nationwide will be picketed. “All central bank offices, from the CBN Headquarters, will be shut till further notice. Workers are directed to stay at home and join in the picketing exercise. “We call on Nigerians to understand the circumstances we’re operating in. People will be telling you about the political situation. The political situation is self-inflicted and the economic situation is worse than the political situation because people cannot eat. “Workers can no longer go to office and nothing is happening. So we have been pushed to the wall. Having given one-week, we thought they could address the situation, but it has not been addressed. “We have decided to take our destiny in our hands. So comrades, the mobilisation commences immediately. And when we talk of action from Wednesday, it’s total, until further notice.”
