Tension is rising between the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Federal Government as telecom operators continue to enforce a 50% tariff hike, despite an agreement to reduce it by 15%.
Over a month ago, the NLC forced the government and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to slash the proposed 50% tariff increase down to 35%.
However, since then, the agreed 15% reduction has yet to be implemented, sparking outrage among labour leaders.
Broken Promises and Growing Frustration
According to sources, a high-level meeting between government officials, NCC representatives, and NLC leaders on February 21 led to a consensus on the reduction.
An official announcement was expected the next day, but weeks later, no action has been taken.
Feeling deceived, NLC leaders have now vowed to take decisive action. A senior NLC official disclosed that preparations for a nationwide protest targeting telecom operators and the NCC are in full swing.
However, the exact date remains undisclosed to maintain an element of surprise.
Labour’s Next Move: Telecom Shutdown?
The NLC had previously given a deadline for telecom operators to reverse the tariff hike by the end of February 2025.
Failure to comply, they warned, would result in a total shutdown of telecom services nationwide.
In a bid to pressure telecom companies, the NLC had earlier called on Nigerians to boycott MTN, Airtel, and Glo services for three hours daily, from 11 AM to 2 PM, throughout February.
Now, with no response from the government or telecom operators, Labour leaders are gearing up for the next phase of resistance.
As Nigerians continue to struggle with rising costs, the question remains—will the government honor its promise, or will Labour be forced to take matters into its own hands?
Stay updated on this developing story with NIGPOST.
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