NLC To Cripple Economy Thursday If FG Fails To Revert Fuel To Old Pump Price

…Directs Affiliate Unions, State Councils To Commence Mobilisation

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has promised to cripple all activities nationwide should the Federal Government fail to revert to the old pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as fuel, latest by Wednesday.

Rising from from an extensive National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Abuja on Friday, President of NLC, Joe Ajaero noted that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), has been given till Wednesday to return to the old price of N194 per litre

NNPCL had on Wednesday jerked up the pump prices of PMS by over 200 per cent bringing the price of fuel to between N488 and N557 per litre, following the declaration by President Bola Tinubu while giving his innugral speech as the 16th president of Nigeria, that fuel subsidy was no more.

While several groups have been meeting with NLC over the subsidy removal, a meeting between organised labour and the federal government had ended in a deadlock.

Even though both parties are expected to resume negotiations on Sunday, the NLC after a unanimous decision of all NLC affiliate unions, has directed unions to commence mobilisation immediately ahead of the planned nationwide protest.

He said; “The NLC decided that if by Wednesday next week the NNPCL, a private limited liability company, that illegally announced a price regime in the oil sector, refuses to announce revert itself for negotiation to continue, that the NLC and all its affiliates, will withdraw their services and commence protests nationwide until this is complied with.

“The NNPCL doesn’t have the monopoly to act illegally even as a private company. The NLC NEC therefore directed all state councils and all industrial unions to commence mobilisation from this moment to make sure that this action is enforced. The action has commenced at this moment.

While accusing the NNPCL of refusing to disclose beneficiaries of subsidy and landing cost of petroleum product, the labour leader who called for a probe of the subsidy regime urged the NNPCL to ensure it gives a proper account of the amount of petroleum products Nigerians consume daily.

“The Nigeria Labour Congress is calling for a thorough probe in the process of subsidy to know those involved and the amount involved. Investigate it properly before it is swept under the carpet.

“The current attempt to sweep the fraudulent practices in the subsidy regime should not be tolerated by all well-meaning Nigerians.”