12th January, 2012
Some traders in Lagos on Wednesday expressed displeasure over the continued closure of markets and their loss of revenue, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
The markets have remained shut for three consecutive days since the nationwide strike called by a coalition of the NLC, TUC and the civil society began on Monday.
The strike was called to protest the Federal Government’s removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) on January 1.
The traders who spoke with NAN in separate interviews, urged the Federal Government and labour to dialogue and save Nigerians from more hardship.
NAN quotes the traders as saying that their anguish stemmed from the fact that neither the government nor labour would compensate them at the end of the strike.
Mr. Matthew Afolabi, a youth leader at Araromi Plank Market in the Mafoluku area of Lagos, said that the strike had eroded their means of livelihood.
Afolabi said that traders could not continue with the industrial action because they depended on their daily income to survive.
“Our survival depends on what we make on daily basis.”
Afolabi expressed support for the subsidy removal, but suggested that it should be gradual to minimise the pains.
Mr. Chukwudi Okonkwo, a spare parts dealer, urged labour to call off the strike, saying that he and his family were starving.
Okonkwo said that the timing of the fuel subsidy removal and general strike, coming immediately after the yuletide holidays was wrong.
He said that he depended on his daily income for the family needs.
Another trader, Mr. Obiora Nduka, said that the strike caught most of the traders unawares, adding that they would continue to record losses, if the strike was not suspended.