Public servants under the aegis of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) say they will begin a three-day warning strike on Friday if the federal government fails to slash the price of petrol to N500 and approve a new wage award for workers.
In a statement on Tuesday, Gbenga Olowoyo, national
secretary of JNPSNC and general secretary of the Nigeria Civil Service Union
(NCSU), said the September 30 ultimatum they had earlier handed to the
government to address the rising cost of petrol and begin negotiations for a
new national minimum wage remains sacrosanct.
He said the council has mobilised workers to embark on the
industrial action should President Bola Tinubu fail to announce a drastic cut
in petrol price and a new national minimum wage in his Independence Day speech.
“The three critical issues requiring urgent attention are as
follows: reduction of fuel price to N500 per litre. The Federal Government
should take urgent steps to bring down the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS)
to N500 per litre,” the statement reads.
“The Federal Government should urgently approve a wage award
for Nigerian workers to cushion the effects of the prevailing harsh economic
conditions being experienced by workers, their dependants, and vulnerable
Nigerians.
“It is imperative to state clearly that the Independence Day
address of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria should adequately
address these critical issues.
“Consequently, the council states that failure by the
Federal Government to take the necessary steps to address these issues on or
before 30th September 2026 will leave Nigerian workers with no option but to
commence a three-day warning strike, with effect from Friday, 2nd October 2026,
to press home their demands.”
Olowoyo said the council had on September 21 written a
letter to Tinubu in which it made the three demands, including the commencement
of negotiations for a minimum wage of not less than N500,000 from 2027, among
others.
It, however, expressed displeasure that no visible action
had been taken on the stated demands more than a week after the letter.
‘ADDRESS LANDING COSTS OF PETROL, SUPPORT OPERATORS’
The JNPSNC national secretary said reducing petrol price can
be achieved through the provision of an intervention fund to address the
landing costs of the commodity and support oil and gas operators.
“It is equally important for the Federal Government to
ensure the sale of crude oil to the Dangote Refinery and operators of modular
refineries at appropriate terms to facilitate increased domestic refining and
help bring down the price of petroleum products,” Olowoyo said.
He argued that the current price of PMS, ranging from N1,450
to N2,000 and, in some locations outside major communities and cities, as high
as N2,500 per litre, is unacceptable to Nigerian workers.
According to him, “the council maintains that the economic
hardship occasioned by the high cost of fuel is placing the survival of
Nigerian workers, their dependants and the general populace under severe
pressure, making it increasingly difficult for Nigerians to live normal and
dignified lives”.
He said the council believes that urgent action on the
demands will further enable public servants to consolidate their loyalty,
commitment and productivity within the public service ecosystem.
Olowoyo added that the workers are also asking the federal
government to urgently establish a tripartite committee to facilitate
negotiations for the new minimum wage.
“The Nigerian workers’ demand for the immediate constitution
of the committee is informed by the need to avoid any administrative or
procedural delay that could affect the implementation of the new National
Minimum Wage once it is eventually negotiated and passed into law by the
National Assembly,” he added.
The JNPSNC is made up of eight public sector unions with
members including the NCSU, Medical and Health Workers Union, Association of
Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), and National Association of Nigerian
Nurses and Midwives.
Others are the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations,
Civil Service Technical and Recreational Employees; Nigeria Union of Public
Service, Reportorial, Secretarial, Data Processors and Allied Workers; National
Union of Printing, Publishing and Paper Products Workers; and National Union of
Agriculture and Allied Employees.
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