Amid fears of an impending strike, Nigerians have urged organized labour, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), to steer clear of the national grid.
Nigerians, in various comments on X on Monday, urged the unions not to shut down the national grid following fears of industrial action.
They made the plea while reacting to organized labour’s rejection of the N62,000 minimum wage proposed by the federal government.
Chronicle NG reports that organized labour on Monday rejected the proposed N62,000 minimum wage by the President Bola Tinubu-led administration.
Describing the offer as a ‘starvation wage,’ labor threatened to shut down the country if the federal government failed to attend to their demands.
Recall that the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) announced the shutdown of the national grid by organized labor during strike action last week, resulting in total blackouts nationwide.
However, power was restored all over the country following the suspension of the strike by the NLC and TUC for a week.
However, following the threat by the NLC and TUC to go on and resume the strike action if the meeting between the organized labour and the federal government on Monday ends in deacons, Nigerians urged labour not to throw the country into darkness.
Reacting to the news of a looming strike, Sir David Onyemaizu argues “I’m not saying NLC shouldn’t go on strike, but whatever they do, make dem no touch that National Grid.”
“A lot of people do not earn a minimum wage. They don’t deserve to suffer for a course that doesn’t concern them,” LJ Saviour stated.
For X user simply identifying as Odeto, he mentioned that “shutting down the national grid is evil.”
“The most pressing concern is people in hospitals. There are people whose treatment, comfort, or security requires electricity, and there are hospitals without alternative power sources. Shutting down the national grid is evil, plain and simple,” Odeto opined.
Jack, in his reaction, appealed to the NLC and TUC to steer clear of the national grid so soccer-loving fans would watch the 2024 Euros and Copa America.
Jack said, “Do what you have to but keep your hands off the National Grid this time. For the sake of some of us who want to watch Euros and other patriotic citizens who care about people in hospitals who need light in the ICU.”