THE NIGERIA Labour Congress (NLC) on Wednesday canvassed for a daily 3-hour boycott of the services of telecom operators – MTN, Airtel, and Glo – beginning from Thursday until the end of February.
The boycott, which according to NLC should hold between 11am and 2pm, is in resistance of the 50% tariff hike implementation by the telecom operators when its (NLC) dialogue with the government was ongoing.
The NLC therefore condemned the implementation of the tariff hike by the companies and demanded the immediate reversal to the previous tariff.
It could be recalled that the NLC and the federal government had constituted a 10-man committee to deliberate on the tariff hike within two weeks and report back before any final decision was taken on a new telecom tariff structure.
The NLC also threatened totally shutdown on March 1, 2025 the operations of the telecom operators if the hike in tariff were not reversed.
In a communiqué made available to National Record,signed by NLC President and General Secretary, Comrade Joe Ajaero and Emmanuel Ugboaja respectively, after a meeting of the NLC Central Working Committee in Lokoja, Kogi State capital, the biggest labour centre in Nigeria accused the telecom operators of betraying trust and disregarding due process by implementing the hike before the 10-man committee completed its review.
The Congress, as the NLC is fondly called by affiliate members, also criticised the government for failing to protect citizens from corporate exploitation.
“As a first step in resisting this arbitrary tariff hike, the CWC has directed that, beginning Thursday, February 13, 2025, Nigerian workers and other willing citizens shall boycott the services of MTN, AIRTEL, and GLO daily between 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM until the end of February 2025.
“All workers and citizens are urged to suspend the purchase of Data from these companies which has also become one of their greatest tools for exploiting Nigerian citizens.
“We also demand the repatriation of all funds siphoned out of the country by these companies.
“If the telecommunications companies fail to revert to the old tariff by the end of February 2025, a total shutdown of their operations nationwide will commence from March 1, 2025,” the communiqué reads in part; as it also directed its affiliates to commence immediate sensitisation and mobilisation of their members and the general public within their jurisdictions.
“All NLC Affiliate Unions are requested to mobilize their members across the country to observe electronic silence during the designated hours.
“We implore all of our Civil society allies and other interested stakeholders are to join us in making this action effective,” the Congress said.
The Congress also spoke on the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s tax reform bills before the National Assembly, demanding that it must be designed to alleviate hardship being faced by Nigerians.
“The CWC also reviewed the ongoing discussions around the Tax Reform Bills being considered by the government.
“While acknowledging the need for fiscal reforms, the Congress insists that any tax policies must be designed to alleviate the burdens on Nigerian workers and not worsen the existing economic hardship.
“The NLC shall engage with relevant authorities to ensure that tax reforms are fair, equitable, and worker-friendly,” the NLC said; adding: “The Nigeria Labour Congress remains committed to defending the rights and welfare of Nigerian workers and citizens.
“The CWC calls on all Nigerians to unite in this struggle against exploitative economic policies and to actively participate in the outlined actions to demand justice and fairness in telecom, taxation, and transportation policies.”
