Cash crunch another test of Nigerians’ patience, NLC tells FG

The Nigerian Labour Congress has expressed concerns over the lingering cash scarcity in the country, saying that the situation has serious implications for citizens.

NLC President, Joe Ajaero, warned the Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria that a mass public protest was imminent if nothing was done to address the naira shortage.

Describing the cash crunch as another test to try the patience of Nigerians and Nigerian workers, Ajaero said the prevailing scarcity of the naira is unacceptable.

“We are worried that by this action and others, the government may be inciting the people and mobilising them to seek alternative routes for protecting themselves from these perverse policies. We believe that the elastic limit of the patience of Nigerians is being breached and no government inflicts this level of pains on its citizenry and expects them to keep quiet for a long time,” Ajaero said in a statement on Tuesday.

“Forcing Nigerians into revolt by continuously taking actions that deny them basic access to survival will not augur well for our nation. This cash crunch is indeed another test of the already worn patience of Nigerian masses and workers.”

Ajaero said the NLC recognised the importance of a vibrant economy and believed that it was in the interest of the nation to ensure that the citizens could enjoy the festive season without undue financial strain.

He urged President Bola Tinubu’s administration to take “immediate and decisive action to alleviate the cash crunch and mitigate its impact on the people.”