UPDATED: We Will Shutdown Nigeria’s Economy If Petrol Price Rises Above N617 Per Litre, NLC Threatens Fresh Strike

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened to shut down the economy if the petrol price increases further from the current N617 per liter.

Comrade Joe Ajaero revealed the new development on Monday at the African Trade Union alliance meeting in Abuja.

The Organised labour on August 2, 2023, disrupted activities at the National Assembly demanding that fuel pump price be reverted to its initial N194 per liter before President Bola Tinubu’s inauguration.

However, oil marketers indicated that the cost of fuel would rise between N720 per liter of the dollar and continues to increase at the parallel market.

THE WHISTLER earlier reported that the naira has extended its loss as the currency depreciated to N902 per dollar on the black market.

Reacting to the planned price increase, Ajaero said, should there be another increase in the price of Petrol Motor Spirit from the existing N617, there will be an indefinite nationwide shutdown without prior notice.

“I want to plead with the government that those bad economic policies that make our wages next to nothing, should be checked.

“If you checkmate those policies that lead to inflation, and devaluation of the currency, we will be comfortable even where we are, if the naira is at par with the dollar today, we will ask you to leave the minimum wage at 30,000.

“Now, they have started floating ideas of a likely increase in the price of petroleum products if we have not addressed the consequences of the last two increases in fuel pump price.

“Let me say this, Nigeria workers will not give any strike notice,” he warned.

He also alleged that the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun is now performing the duties of the Ministry of Labour while reiterating that the duty of the Ministry of Labour was addressing the issue of both inter and intra-union disputes.

This claim is coming after the IG of police arrested the president of the National Union of Road Transport Workers Congress (NURTW), Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa on Saturday.

The arrest came two days after the NURTW President raised the alarm of an alleged plot by some individuals and groups to stage a protest at the national secretariat located in the Garki 2 district of Abuja.

Reacting to the arrest, Ajaero said, “It is not within the purview of the Inspector General of Police to go into that area. And I think there is a need for the Ministry of Labour to educate the police to tell them that they don’t have the right to usurp its functions.

“If they do that, the Ministry of Labour will go into extinction and there’ll be no basis for the Minister of Labour to remain there.

“We say it is illegal and we demand an apology from the IG of police for arresting or even contemplated to arrest the president of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, for whatever reason, on the eve of the election.

“It is unheard of in the history of this country, go and collect your functions from the Ministry of Police and the Ministry of Justice. Even when there is a dispute intra or inter it is your function to refer such to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NIC).”