The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened to go on a nationwide industrial action if the government goes ahead to implement an increase in the price of Premium Motor Spirit.
NLC restated It’s position in a petition to the Governors of the 36 states ahead of the planned nationwide protest scheduled for Thursday.
The petition, jointly signed by the NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, and the General Secretary, Emanuel Ugboaja, asked the Federal Government to announce the withdrawal of its plans to increase the pump price of petrol.
It said, “The federal government should re-engage Organised Labour in Nigeria in discussions in order to find mutually acceptable solutions to the current quagmire in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sub-sector.
“The federal government should demonstrate seriousness and commitment to overhauling our local refineries as a lasting panacea to mass importation of refined petroleum products, Importation Pricing Model, and a host of lost opportunities, official corruption and self-inflicted dislocations occasioned by mass importation of refined petroleum products into Nigeria; and
“Governments at all levels in Nigeria should take immediate steps to improve governance and public accountability in order to regain the confidence of Nigerians that the cardinal constitutional mandate of guaranteeing the welfare and security of Nigerians has not been traded off.
“Organised Labour in Nigeria as a responsible social partner is willing and ready to work with the government to find enduring solutions to the crisis in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector and other areas of challenge in governance.
“It would be a great relief for Organised Labour if the government meets us halfway in this regard. The current protest, held nationwide 27th January 2022, is only geared at alerting the government on the sufferings that Nigerians are going through and the additional insufferable trauma that Nigerians would be subjected to if the government goes ahead with the hike in the price of refined petroleum products.
“From our foregoing submissions, there is no reason Nigeria like other nations of the world should not utilise the comparative advantage of crude oil which is our domineering foreign exchange earner as a strategic national asset for improving the lives of the Nigerian workers and the ordinary citizens of our great country.
“We plead that Your Excellency should use your position as a member of the National Economic Council to convey our foregoing persuasions and demands to the Federal Government.
“We also warn that Nigerian workers would have no other choice than to down tools once the government goes ahead to force another round of petrol price increment on Nigerians. Nigerians have suffered enough. Enough is Enough!”
