Categories: AFRICA

Nigeria: Labour Threatens Strike without Notice over Kaduna Dispute, Fuel Price

Ayuba Wabba

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Thursday served notice that it would embark on a nationwide strike without notice if the Kaduna State Government remained adamant and recalcitrant or refused to halt the sacking of workers.

It also threatened to withdraw services of workers in Nigeria without any further notice should the federal government decide to increase the price of refined petroleum products, especially petrol.

In a communiqué issued yesterday following its virtual National Executive Council (NEC) held on Tuesday, NLC said it considered issues arising from the industrial crisis in Kaduna State and resolved to continue to keep its doors open for dialogue and amicable resolution of the industrial crisis.

The communiqué, jointly signed by the NLC President, Mr. Ayuba Wabba, and Acting General-Secretary, Mr. Ishmail Bello, however, said the NEC meeting resolved that “in case the Kaduna State Government remained adamant and recalcitrant or continues to pursue the path of war, threat and punitive actions against workers and their interests, that it had given the National Administrative Council (NAC) the power to re-activate the suspended industrial action in Kaduna State and also call for the withdrawal of services of all workers in Nigeria without any further notice.”

On the proposal by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to the National Economic Council (NEC) to increase the price of fuel, NLC said it had resolved to respond with an immediate declaration of a nationwide strike in the event of further, increase in fuel price by the government.

Governors had endorsed the report of the el-Rufai Committee set up by the NEC, which recommended N280 per litre as the price of petrol as against the current N162 and N165 per litre.

But NLC said its NEC meeting had resolved “that any the decision to increase by even one cent the price of refined petroleum products, especially petrol will attract an immediate withdrawal of services by Nigerian workers all over the country without any further notice.

“The NEC reiterated that it still stands solidly by its decision taken at its meeting which took place on 17th February 2021 to reject further increases in the price of refined petroleum products, particularly petrol.

“The NEC also re-echoed its decision that the only sustainable way out of the crisis of fuel importation and associated dislocations in the downstream petroleum sub-sector is for the government to rehabilitate all four public refineries in Nigeria and build new ones.”

It added that the NEC resolved to write officially to the federal government 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.

With regard to the review of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, NLC urged the National Assembly to retain labour administration, national minimum wage, pension and industrial relations on the exclusive legislative list of the constitution.

The meeting also resolved to mobilise workers at all the zonal public hearings to lend weight to the demands and aspirations of workers in the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution.

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja