Telecom tariff hike: NLC fixes Feb 4 for nationwide protest
As part of mobilisation against the planned 50% telecommunication services tariff hike in the country, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has resolved to hold a nationwide anti-telecom tariff hike protest Tuesday, February 4.
This was made known in a statement on Wednesday
This comes as the Nigerian government through the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) announced the approval for telecommunication companies to increase services tariffs by 50%.
This approval has sparked a wide tide of rejection by Nigerians, including the NLC.
In an update to press home their opposition against the telecom tariff hike, the NLC vowed to shut down the country through a nationwide protest.
This is part of its mobilisation against the planned 50% telecom tariff hike.
The nationwide protest was agreed upon at the National Administrative Council (NAC) of the labour union.
The protest aims at sounding a note of warning to the government that workers would resist the planned hike as it would worsen the poverty level across the country.
On January 22, the NLC rejected the approval of the increase in tariff by the federal government
According to the NLC, the 50% tariff hike approval, at a time Nigerian workers and the masses are grappling with unprecedented economic hardship, is a clear assault on their welfare and an abandonment of the people to corporate fat cats.
“This decision, coming at a time when Nigerian workers and the masses are grappling with unprecedented economic hardship, is a clear assault on their welfare and an abandonment of the people to corporate fat cats,” Joe Ajaero, NLC president, Joe Ajaero said in a statement.
Earlier, Nigerians under the aegis of the National Association of Telecoms Subscribers vowed to drag the Nigerian government and telcos to court over the 50 percent telecoms service tariff hike.
Meanwhile, the government had repeatedly justified the latest telecom tariff hike on rising inflation which stood at 34.80 percent in December.
