NLC DIRECTS WORKERS TO PROTEST AT CBN OFFICES OVER CASH CRUNCH

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By Aishat Momoh. O.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has ordered all workers to protest at Central Bank branches across the country over the situation of cash crunch.

The strike is scheduled to start on 29th March, which is Wednesday. next week.

The order was given by NLC President Joe Ajaero on Wednesday in Abuja during a media briefing.

Additionally, he gave orders for the affiliate unions that make up the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to be prepared for nationwide picketing actions at all CBN branches.

The NLC gave the federal government a seven-day deadline last week to stop the country’s cash and gasoline shortages.

Speaking with journalists, Ajaero said the industrial action became the last resolve of the NLC following the expiration of the ultimatum.

He said the decision to picket CBN branches became necessary as the federal government and the CBN have failed to show any commitment to addressing the situation.

Ajaero lamented that despite the supreme court order that the old N200, N500 and N1000 notes remain legal tender until December 31, 2023, the situation kept getting worse.

He said workers could not access cash to pay fares to work nor buy food for their families.

He also criticised the pricing irregularities in the petroleum sector.

“Last week, we gave an ultimatum for the review of the cash crunch bedeviling the country, but we have discovered to our dismay that as at this moment not much effort has been made to ameliorate the situation, government is still foot dragging on these issues we raised,” Ajaero said.

“Based on this, we met again this morning to review our position and resolved that by Wednesday next week all CBN branches will be picketed, workers are directed to stay at home too because people cannot eat, workers can no longer go to the office, we have been pushed to the wall.

“We have decided to take our destiny in our hands, we have mobilised our workers on this exercise.”