Fuel subsidy: NLC declares nationwide strike
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has declared a nationwide strike from next Wednesday to protest the removal of fuel subsidy.
This comes amid fuel shortages across the country occasioned by President Bola Tinubu’s inaugural speech in which he declared that “fuel subsidy is gone”.
The union disclosed this during its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in the Federal Capital territory, Abuja.
According to Channels TV, the meeting was not unconnected to the fuel subsidy removal by President Bola Tinubu and the subsequent hike in the pump price of petrol.
The NEC comprises all Presidents, General Secretaries, Treasurers of all NLC’s affiliate unions; State Chairpersons and Secretaries of the NLC State Councils, Chairperson of the NLC Youth Committee and members of the National Administrative Council (NAC).
NLC President Joe Ajaero made the announcement after an emergency meeting of the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) in Abuja.
He said 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 added that failure of the Federal Government to meet the ultimatum would attract an indefinite protest across the country.
Tinubu had on Monday during his inaugural speech at the Eagle Square in Abuja, said the era of subsidy payment on fuel has ended, adding that with the 2023 budget making no provision for fuel subsidy, further payment was no longer justifiable.
“The fuel subsidy is gone,” Tinubu said. His government would instead channel funds into infrastructure and other areas to strengthen the economy, he added.
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, also argued that there was a reason the immediate past administration of Muhammadu Buhari pushed the “sensitive issue” to the new government.
