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Nigeria’s public servants have declared a three-day warning strike from October 2 to Sunday, October 4, over worsening hardship.
The Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) announced the action on Thursday. The council directed its national and state leaders to mobilise workers nationwide. The strike will begin at midnight on Friday and end on Sunday.
The directive was contained in a circular dated October 1. JNPSNC National Secretary Olowoyo Gbenga signed it. The council said the decision followed the Nigerian Government’s failure to address its demands. The demands were contained in a letter sent to President Bola Tinubu on September 21.
The council had asked the government to reduce the pump price of petrol to N500 per litre. It also demanded an immediate wage award for workers. In addition, the council wants negotiations for a new national minimum wage to begin ahead of 2027.
The unions said the measures would ease pressure on workers and their dependants. The council also directed public servants in national, state and local government services to join the strike. It said workers and vulnerable Nigerians were facing severe economic pressure.
“The economic and mental hardships are becoming unbearable and frustrating,” the council said.
It also urged its leaders to begin mobilisation immediately.
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“The time to act and mobilise workers for the three-day warning strike is now!!!” it said.
The planned action follows an earlier September 30 deadline issued to the Nigerian Government. The council had warned that workers would strike if the government failed to address their concerns by the deadline. The eight unions under the JNPSNC include the Nigerian Civil Service Union and Medical and Health Workers Union.
Others include the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria and the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives. The council also includes four other public sector unions. The strike is expected to affect public servants across the three tiers of government.
