NLC urges Nigerians to boycott calls, texts, data from 11am-2pm over tariff hike
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged Nigerians to participate in civil protests against telecommunication service providers over what it described as an unjustified tariff increase.
According to reports, NLC spokesman Benson Upah advised citizens to refrain from making calls, sending text messages, or purchasing data between 11 am and 2 pm as a form of protest against the hike.
Speaking on Arise News on Thursday, organized labour expressed disappointment that telecom operators had ignored the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) they previously signed regarding tariff adjustments. Upah emphasized that only collective action and public resistance could compel service providers to revert to the old rates.
“In order to cut a long story short, this is an opportunity for Nigerians to prove they are mettle. This is a citizens civil action by the citizens. I tell you, it is an opportunity for those of them who have been critical of NLC, generally of labour. It is an opportunity for them to prove their mettle.
“I tell you this, if we are able to stay together, maintain shoulder-to-shoulder coordination from 11am to 2pm, It’s not a big deal, I bet you it is going to force the hand of this, oligopolies or transnationals. Let me also use the opportunity to say something here. What they have done, as you noted in our communique, is a betrayal of trust and affront to the principles of negotiation and a direct slap on on the government and its institutions and a disdain for the people of Nigeria,” he said.
MTN, Airtel, Glo Failed To Honour MOU
NLC spokesman disclosed that the MOU labour had with the government stated that a 10-man committee would be set and given two weeks to come up with the best solution, the telecom service providers did otherwise.
“Take note of the fact that ten days ago, at a meeting held between, NLC and government. At the instance of government, the following decisions were taken in an MOU, that a technical committee will be set up, a 10-man, technical committee will be set up, and will be given, two weeks to work and submit their report if anything anything will be done.
“As I speak with you, that technical committee has not sat. And then MTN, Airtel, Glo have come out to do what they have done. It is an insult on our collective psyche. It is an insult on our independence. It is an insult on our dignity,” he stated.
Comrade Upah noted that the telecoms service providers took Nigeria and its citizens for granted. He added that only a solidarity stand would produce desired result.
“Let us stand together. Let us stand united. I tell you this, before the advent of mobile telecom, we did exist as a people and as a nation. So nobody is gonna come, robbing this shit on us.
“They can’t do this anywhere. It is only in Nigeria that any entity will come talking about 50%, a tariff hike, 250%, a tariff hike. Look, this bombardment has to stop. And we are calling on all Nigerians, stay united, stay together, cut down, don’t make any call, don’t text between eleven and two from now till the end of this month. Stop buying data.
“Exercise your right of civil protest. It’s simple. Also, take note of this, some of these entities are richer than Nigeria. They are bigger than Nigeria, and they are capable of bending the wheel of some sovereign nations. This must not be allowed to happen in Nigeria. For goodness sake, we have been good to these entities and nobody, no corporate entity, no matter how powerful, no matter how rich, should do this to this country or do this to the people of this country,” he added.
