After its emergency meeting on Friday, the executive committee of the Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC) unanimously agreed to embark on a nationwide strike, beginning Wednesday, if the federal government doesn’t revert to the old petrol pump price of N86 per liter.
The meeting held at the Olaitan Oyerinde Hall of the Labour House, Abuja and was chaired by NLC president Mr. Ayuba Wabba.
Punch reports that the labour leaders have been particularly irked that there was no consultation before the announcement of the increase.
A source at the meeting confided in the newspaper that the decision to embark on a nationwide strike was not opposed by any of the labour leaders.
The source said that the unionists expressed frustration that the President, who they supported in the last general elections, did not accord them the expected respect.
The source said the members lamented that the way the pump price was increased without consultation with labour showed that the government did not have any regard for workers.
According to the source, members recalled that in spite of the fact that a former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, provided the statistics and other reasons for the increase, and the former President Goodluck Jonathan invited them to a dinner where he spoke to them, the move was turned down.”
The source said, “We told you that the meeting was going to be smooth and short. The fact is that the people are not happy.
“The NEC is even saddened by the way the increase was announced; there is no respect, no consultation. Look, this was not the case in 2012 under Jonathan. I remember on that night of the dinner, Okonjo-Iweala did her presentation showing us her statistics and the President spoke to us. Yet in spite of that we turned him down.
“But in this case, there is no regard for anybody at all. Yet we worked for this government”.
In a related development, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria has issued a five-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to meet with labour on the increase in fuel price to N145 or face industrial action.
While addressing journalists after its National Executive Council meeting in Lagos on Friday, the President of the congress, Bobboi Kaigama, said the congress had begun plans to protest against the petrol price increase.
He stated that the TUC rejected the hike in price of petrol from N86.5 to N145 per litre and demanded revert in price.
Kaigama said, “The NEC-in session rejected in its entirety the astronomical increase in the price of petrol from N86.5 per litre to N145 per litre and demanded that the government should revert to the old price regime with immediate effect.
“The NEC-in-session gave the Federal Government up till Wednesday, May 16, 2016, to invite the leadership of labour for discussion aimed at determining the appropriate way forward.
“The NEC-in-session also directed the leadership of the TUC to interface with the NLC and the civil society allies to work out plans that would be put in place to protest the insensitive fuel price hike should the government fail to meet on Wednesday, May 18, 2016.”
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