NLC Replies Governor’s Forum, Says Fuel Price Increase Will Be Resisted With Industrial Action

The Nigerian Labour Congress has condemned the proposal by the Nigeria Governors Forum for a 300 percent increase in the price of petrol, stating that any decision to increase the price of the product will attract an immediate withdrawal of services by Nigerian workers nationwide.

In a communique issued on Thursday, the Congress described the proposal as the height of provocation, arbitrariness, detachment and insensitivity to the current economic realities in the country and the extreme hardship that Nigerians especially workers are going through.

The communique was signed jointly by the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, and the Ag. General Secretary, Comrade Ismail Bello.

It read, “The NEC resolved that any decision to increase by even one cent the price of refined petroleum products especially PMS will attract an immediate withdrawal of services by Nigerian workers all over the country without any further notice.

“The NEC resolved to write officially to the Federal Government of Nigeria conveying the plight of Nigerian workers.

“The concerns of Congress and the resolutions of the NEC on the matter of fresh proposals for an increase in the pump price of fuel especially as informed by the stance of the Nigeria Governors Forum.”

The Congress noting that its last meeting with Government was in February 2021, said that there is currently no negotiation with government over fuel price increase.

Meanwhile, the Federal government through the ministry of petroleum and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has repeatedly assured of an ongoing engagement with the Labour union.

For example, the Minister of Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, last week announced that the government is maintaining the current price of petrol until ‘ongoing engagement’ with the organised labour is concluded.

However, the labour congress insisted that there is no ‘ongoing engagement with the government.

Also, on the review of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Congress called on the National Assembly to retain labour administration, national minimum wage, pension and industrial relations in the exclusive legislative list of the constitution.

It directed the full mobilization of workers at all the zonal public hearings, to lend weight to the demands and aspirations of Nigerian workers in the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution.