October 1, 2023, marks Nigeria’s 63rd anniversary of independence from British colonial rule. A day synonymous with ushering in a period of celebration and reflection, appreciating the achievements and challenges of the past, and envisioning a brighter future for the nation and its people.
But this year, Nigeria’s independence day will be overshadowed by a looming crisis that threatens to stifle the economy and disrupt the social fabric of the country. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), the two largest labour unions in the country, have announced an indefinite nationwide strike starting on October 3, unless the government reverses its decision to remove fuel subsidy and meets other demands to improve the living conditions of Nigerians.
Nigeria is facing a major crisis as the strikes will effectively shut down the nation as it attempts to celebrate its 63rd independence anniversary.
The removal of fuel subsidy, which took effect in June, has caused a significant increase in the price of petrol, from about N197 per litre to over N500 per litre. This has affected the cost of transportation, food items, and other commodities, while the minimum wage remains at N30,000 (about $65) per month. The labour unions argue that this policy is anti-poor and unsustainable and that it will worsen the already high inflation, unemployment, and poverty rates in the country. This is coupled with the high global inflation rate from 2000 to 2028 | Statista.
The labour unions are also demanding wage awards for public workers and a new minimum wage, tax exemptions and allowances for public sector workers, provision of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses, the release of modalities for the N70 billion for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), and immediate reversal of all anti-poor policies of the federal government.
The government, on the other hand, has defended its decision to remove fuel subsidy as a necessary step to free up funds for infrastructure development, social welfare programs, and debt servicing. The government claims that the subsidy regime was unsustainable, inefficient, and prone to corruption and that it benefited only a few elites at the expense of the majority of Nigerians. The government also says that it has taken measures to cushion the impact of the subsidy removal, such as providing palliatives to vulnerable groups, increasing electricity generation and distribution, and promoting alternative fuels such as CNG.
The Federal Government, in a desperate move to avert the planned nationwide strike from October 3, summoned an emergency meeting with the leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and their Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC counterpart.
According to sources, the NLC and its TUC counterpart received the government’s invitation through the Ministry of Labour and Employment. However, the efforts did not yield any positive results. The labour unions have since rejected offers from the government including a N25,000 minimum wage increase, and the court order as an infringement on their constitutional right to
protest. They have also dismissed the government’s dialogue as insincere and unproductive. They have vowed to go ahead with their strike action unless their demands are met before October 3.
As Nigeria celebrates its independence day amid this impasse, there is an urgent need for both parties to find a common ground and avert a costly strike that could plunge the nation into further chaos and instability. There is also a need for Nigerians to reflect on their collective destiny as a nation and demand good governance, accountability, and justice from their leaders.
President Tinubu addressed the nation on the occasion of the nation’s 63rd Independence Anniversary on Sunday in Abuja.
”At my inauguration, I made important promises about how I would govern this great nation. Among those promises, were pledges to reshape and modernize our economy and to secure the lives, liberty and property of the people.
I said that bold reforms were necessary to place our nation on the path of prosperity and growth. On that occasion, I announced the end of the fuel subsidy. I am attuned to the hardships that have come. I have a heart that feels and eyes that see.
I wish to explain to you why we must endure this trying moment. Those who sought to perpetuate the fuel subsidy and broken foreign exchange policies are people who would build their family mansion in the middle of a swamp.
I am different. I am not a man to erect our national home on a foundation of mud. To endure, our home must be constructed on safe and pleasant ground.
I pledged a thorough housecleaning of the den of malfeasance the CBN had become. That housecleaning is well underway. A new leadership for the Central Bank has been constituted.
Also, my special investigator will soon present his findings on past lapses and how to prevent similar reoccurrences.
Henceforth, monetary policy shall be for the benefit of all and not the exclusive province of the powerful and wealthy.
I have inaugurated a Committee on Tax Reforms to improve the efficiency of tax administration in the country and address fiscal policies that are unfair or hinder the business environment and slow our growth.
To boost employment and urban incomes, we are providing investment funding for enterprises with great potential. Similarly, we are increasing investment in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.
Commencing this month, the social safety net is being extended through the expansion of cash transfer programmes to an additional 15 million vulnerable households.
”We can do it. We must do it. We shall do it,” he said.
Nigeria’s independence day should not be a day of despair and anger, but a day of hope and unity. It should be a day to remember the sacrifices and struggles of those who fought for Nigeria’s freedom and sovereignty. It should be a day to celebrate Nigeria’s diversity and potential as Africa’s largest and most populous economy. It should be a day to renew Nigeria’s commitment to democracy, peace, and development.
Nigeria at 63 deserves better than a nation on the edge.
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