…Decry Tinubu’s indifference to demand

…Public sector unions order total compliance

Public sector unions under the aegis of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council, JNPSNC, have directed all federal, state and local government employees, including staff of ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs, nationwide, to begin a three-day warning strike from midnight today over the failure of government to address their demands.

The council directed union officials in the federal, state and local government services to ensure total compliance with the industrial action, citing what it described as worsening economic and mental hardship being experienced by workers and other Nigerians.

This came as President Bola Tinubu did not make a reference to the workers demand to slash fuel price to N500 and adopt measures to cushion the effect of the economic hardship in his Indepencence Day broadcast, yesterday.

Members of the JNPSNC include the Nigerian Civil Service Union, NCSU; Medical and Health Workers Union, M&HWU; Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN; and National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, NANNM.

Others are the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Employees, AUPCTRE; Nigeria Union of Public Service, Reportorial, Secretarial, Data Processors and Allied Workers, NUPSRAW; National Union of Printing, Publishing and Paper Products Workers, NUPPPPROW; and National Union of Agriculture and Allied Employees, NUAEE.

Employees of federal and state government MDAs are also affected.

The warning strike followed the failure of the Federal Government to address demands contained in a letter dated September 21, 2026, to President Tinubu by the national leadership of the JNPSNC.

The council explained that the action was necessary to press home its concerns over the hardship confronting workers and vulnerable Nigerians.

The council had on September 29, threatened a three-day warning strike should its demands for the petrol price to be cut to N500 a litre, a wage award and other measures to cushion the hardship in the country not be met or addressed by President Tinubu during his Independence Anniversary Address to the nation, yesterday.

The JNPSNC leadership, expressed disappointed that President Tinubu, in his Independence anniversary address, did not heed the demand for the pump price of petrol to be slashed to N500, from the current N1,400 to N2,000 per litre, depending on the location, or announce immediate measures to ameliorate the socio-economic hardship caused by government policies.

Directive to proceed on strike

The directive to proceed on the warning strike was contained in a circular by JNPSNC’s National Secretary (Trade Union side), Olowoyo Gbenga, yesterday, to the national presidents and general secretaries, state chairmen and secretaries of affiliate unions to the JNPSNC, entitled “Declaration of three day Warning Strike; action with immediate effect.”

The circular reads: “Please, recall the position of the National leadership of JNPSNC that if Mr President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Tinubu refuses to address our requests as contained in the letter to his exalted office (dated September 21, 2026), the three day warning strike earlier scheduled shall commence immediately.

“Consequent upon the above, the strike shall start with effect from midnight of Friday, October 2, 2026, to Sunday, October 4, 2026.

“In the same vein, all public servants in the services of federal, state and local governments are to join the warning strike because an injury to one is an injury to all, most especially all workers, their dependants, vulnerable and hapless Nigerians are groaning terribly under the present economic hardship.

“The economic and mental hardships are becoming unbearable and frustrating. The time to act and mobilise workers for the three days warning strike is now. Please, disseminate the information. Surely, there is victory for us.”

Deeply disappointed

Expressing their frustration, one of the leaders of the JNPSNC told Vanguard newspapers: “We are deeply disappointed that the President’s Independence Anniversary address failed to address our legitimate demands for a reduction in the pump price of petrol and the introduction of concrete measures to alleviate the excruciating hardship confronting workers and other Nigerians.

“While the President acknowledged the severe suffering inflicted on citizens by government policies, it is deeply concerning that the speech offered no concrete relief or meaningful response to the urgent demands of Nigerian workers.

“In view of this failure to address these pressing concerns, our three-day warning strike will proceed as planned.”

The strike notice

Recall that the JNPSNC had, on September 21, written to President Tinubu, demanding that the price of petrol be slashed to N500, the immediate announcement of a wage award and the commencement of negotiations for a minimum wage of not less than N500,000 from 2027, among other demands.

The statement by the National Secretary of the JNPSNC and General Secretary of the Nigeria Civil Service Union, Olowoyo Gbenga, said the September 30, deadline remained sacrosanct, stressing that the concerns of Nigerian workers could no longer be ignored.

According to him: “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.

“This can be achieved through the provision of an intervention fund to address landing costs 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, in order to facilitate increased domestic refining and help bring down the price of petroleum products.

“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.

“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.

Wage award

“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.

“The Council believes that urgent action on this demand will further enable public servants to consolidate their loyalty, commitment and productivity within the public service ecosystem.

Minimum wage committee

“The Federal Government should urgently establish a Tripartite Committee to commence and facilitate negotiations for the new National Minimum Wage expected to become due in 2027.

“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.

Warning strike

“Consequently, the Council states that failure by the Federal Government to take the necessary steps to address these issues on or before September 30, 2026, will leave Nigerian workers with no option but to commence a three-day warning strike, with effect from Friday, October 2, 2026, to press home their demands.

“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.

“Failure to address the concerns raised, according to the Council, will attract the displeasure of Nigerian workers and their dependants, as well as other vulnerable Nigerians who continue to bear the brunt of the prevailing economic hardship.”

SSANU fumes over 2026 agreement implementation

Meanwhile, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, has issued a warning against delays, selective implementation and marginalisation in the rollout of the 2026 FGN/SSANU Agreement, declaring that the union “will not accept unnecessary delays, selective implementation, marginalisation or any attempt to diminish the financial and non-financial provisions of the Agreement.”

Delivering the State of the Union Address at the 56th National Executive Council, NEC, meeting at the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, National President, Mohammed Ibrahim said implementation had “commenced in some universities” but remained incomplete in others due to “funding and administrative challenges.”

Insisting that the 2026 pact and NEC resolutions must yield measurable benefits, Ibrahim said: “Agreements and NEC resolutions must translate into concrete action and measurable benefits for our members.”

He directed branches and zones to “continue to monitor implementation, maintain accurate and verifiable membership records, document cases of non-compliance or victimisation, and provide timely reports to the National Secretariat.”

While affirming SSANU’s commitment to dialogue, the president cautioned: “Our commitment to dialogue and constructive engagement should not be mistaken for weakness.

“Where implementation is deliberately frustrated or the decisions of NEC are ignored, the Union reserves the right to take all lawful and constitutional steps necessary to defend the interests of its members.”

On welfare, Ibrahim stressed that the 2026 Agreement “took effect from January 1, 2026, although it was formally signed on June 29, 2026,” and that “financial obligations arising from the effective date remain outstanding and must be fully addressed.” Vanguard)