TheCable

A total of 80 workers’ unions and civil society groups under the umbrella of Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB) will hold protests across the country next week.

The groups are protesting the recent increase in electricity tariff and the petrol price.

Among the groups in ASCAB are the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), United Action for Democracy, Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre and Journalists for Democratic Rights.

Others are Air Transport Services, Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Services Technical and Recreational Services Employees, Civil Liberties Organisation.

Speaking on the planned strike, Femi Falana, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), described the hike in electricity tariff and fuel price as an anti-people development.

“There is going to be a general strike and protest. We will fix a date after a meeting this evening,” Falana told PUNCH.

“ASCAB is meeting with TUC leadership and about 79 others have indicated that they will take part in the national day of action against these anti-people developments. It will be next week but the date has not been picked yet.

“Other nations are giving cash to their citizens, cancelling rents but Nigeria is imposing taxes and all other levies on its citizens. We will fight against it.”

In a statement, Ayuba Wabba, president of the NLC, said the group would mobilise Nigerian workers to protest the hikes.

“We state that the NLC seriously frowns at, completely condemns and totally rejects any plan to inflict further pain on Nigerians at this very time of great economic distress,” Ayuba said.

“The new dribble by the Abuja DisCo is dead on arrival as it will be resisted by the Nigerian working class and people. The other DisCos should not bother putting their ships of exploitation to sail.”

Featured image: Occupy Nigeria protest in 2016 where Nigerians protested the removal of fuel subsidy