The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has declared a nationwide strike starting from next week Wednesday over withdrawal of fuel subsidy and the consequence hike in the price of fuel across the country.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero, who made the announcement after an emergency meeting of the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) today , June 2′ in Abuja said that the government, particularly the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited had up until Wednesday next week to revert to the old price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) otherwise referred to as petrol.
Ajaero said that failure of the Federal Government to meet the ultimatum would attract an indefinite protest across the country.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said during his inauguration on Monday in Abuja that the era of subsidy gone, adding that with the 2023 budget making no provision for fuel subsidy, further payment was no longer justifiable.
He said that his government would instead, channel funds into infrastructure and other areas to strengthen the economy.
The presidential pronouncement led to an almost instant resurgence of fuel queues across the country with Nigerians foraging for the premium product.
Though Tinubu’s decision received backing from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and House of Representatives, it has since been resisted by the NLC and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC).
According to the organised labour, the President cannot unilaterally take a decision on subsidy removal.
TUC President, Festus Osifo, said that there was a reason the immediate past administration of Muhammadu Buhari pushed the “sensitive issue” to the new government.
