The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have issued a 14-day nationwide strike notice to the Federal Government from tomorrow, February 9, over the non-implementation of the agreements reached on October 2, 2023, following the removal of the subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as Petrol.

In a statement today, the Unions said the October 2 agreement was focused on addressing the massive suffering and the general harsh socioeconomic consequences of the hike in the price of PMS and the devaluation of the naira.

They stressed that these dual policies have had, as they predicted, dire economic consequences for the masses and workers of Nigeria.

Speaking further, the Unions lamented that “it is regrettable that they are compelled to resort to such measures, but the persistent neglect of the welfare of citizens and Nigerian workers and the massive hardship leave them with no choice.

The Federal Government had among other things promised the implementation of a 35,000 naira wage award for civil servants which has not been paid up to date.

The Federal Government has ordered the release of 102,000 metric tonnes of rice and maize to Nigerians amid the food crisis in the country, coupled with the inflationary trend.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, stated this while fielding questions from State House reporters shortly after the meeting of the Presidential Committee on Food Emergency, which was held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He said the President has directed that “food will be made available, whatever it takes.”

The decision came after a series of deliberations by the Committee, in reaction to the protests by Nigerians over the high cost of food and other economic challenges.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has issued certificates of return to winners of Saturday’s rerun and by-elections.

INEC had conducted legislative by-elections and re-run elections across the country in 26 states.

Seven political parties won seats in both the National and State Houses of Assembly.

They are the Action Democratic Party, ADP; All Progressives Congress, APC; All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA; Labour Party, LP; New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and the Young Progressives Party, YPP.

Certificate presentations were done by INEC national commissioners representing each of the states where the rerun and bye-elections were conducted, and winners were declared by the commission.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has raised a special task force in all its zones against the dollarization of the economy as well as the mutilation of the currency in the country.

In a statement by its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, EFCC disclosed that the task force was raised to protect the economy from abuses, leakages as well as distortions and exposure to instability and disruptions.

The anti-graft agency said it has already arrested some perpetrators of the acts in both Lagos and Port Harcourt.

The commission also said proprietors of institutions charging students in dollar have been invited over for questioning.

Oyewale said the commission has already made some arrests of perpetrators of issuance of invoices in dollars and mutilation of the Naira in Lagos and Port Harcourt.

Also, proprietors of private Universities and other institutions of higher learning charging fees in dollars have been invited by the Commission.

The statement added that the commission is committed to the enforcement of all laws in place for the reflation and stimulation of the economy.