The Precision, Electrical, and Related Equipment Senior Staff Association (PERESSA) has endorsed the nationwide protest planned by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for Wednesday, December 17, 2025, describing it as a necessary response to worsening insecurity and economic hardship in the country.
In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by its National President, Comrade Rufus Olusesan, the union said the planned protest was “timely and imperative,” accusing the Federal Government of failing in its constitutional duty to protect lives and property.
PERESSA said insecurity, though more visible in parts of northern Nigeria, has spread across the country, noting that no region can be considered truly safe. The union stressed that Nigerians of all ethnic and religious backgrounds are victims of what it described as persistent state failure.
It called on workers and young people to unite in pressuring the government to address security challenges and safeguard citizens.
Beyond insecurity, the association said the protest also reflects widespread frustration among workers and the poor over policies it described as anti-poor and neo-liberal. According to PERESSA, rising unemployment, deepening poverty and declining living standards have contributed to the growth of criminal activities, including banditry and insurgency.
The union cited inflation, erosion of wages and declining purchasing power as major challenges facing Nigerian workers. It also criticised the removal of petrol subsidies, increases in electricity tariffs, the floating of the naira and rising energy costs, saying the reforms have imposed severe hardship on the working class.
PERESSA further expressed concern over the planned introduction of a new tax regime in January 2026, warning that it could worsen the financial situation of workers and small businesses, and deepen inequality across the country.
The association urged the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to join the NLC in presenting a united labour front, while also calling for stronger collaboration with civil society groups to challenge policies it said favour the elite.
It added that the December 17 protest should serve as a platform for broader mobilisation ahead of the implementation of the new tax regime, reaffirming its commitment to the struggle for improved security, fair wages, equitable taxation and an economy that benefits the majority of Nigerians.
