…Pledges immediate action against petrol price hike
By Chimezie Godfrey
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) said that it will continue to keep its doors open for dialogue and amicable resolution of the industrial crisis occasioned by what it described as the insensitive and illegal mass sack of workers by the Kaduna State Government.
This was disclosed in a comminique signed by the NLC National Chairman, Comrade Ayuba Wabba and Ag Gen Secretary, Comrade Isamai Bello.
The Communique stated that the National Executive Council (NEC) of the NLC considered three major issues during its meeting.
According to it, the issues considered by the NEC include the review of the recent industrial action and protests in Kaduna State against the mass sack of workers by the Kaduna State Government, the recent proposal by the Nigeria Governors Forum for an astronomical hike in the price of refined petroleum products by about three hundred percent and also the preparations of Congress for participation in the Zonal Public Hearing for the Review of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The NEC considered review of the Recent Industrial Action and Protest in Kaduna State over the Mass Sack of Workers by Kaduna State Government.
The NEC considered as successful the recent industrial action and protest against the illegal mass sack of workers by the Kaduna State Government.
It commended the unprecedented solidarity by workers all over the country.
The NEC acknowledged the willingness of workers all over the country to continue to show solidarity with the workers of Kaduna State in the spirit of “Injury to one is injury to all.”
The NEC also noted with dismay the visitation of violence on harmless workers during the industrial protest in Kaduna State by agents of the state government.
The NEC also viewed with great concern the continued torrents of threats and innuendoes cum other adversarial actions against labour leaders and workers by the Kaduna State Governor.
“The NEC resolved to continue to keep its doors open for dialogue and amicable resolution of the industrial crisis occasioned by the insensitive and illegal mass sack of workers by the Kaduna State Government; and
“The NEC 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,” the Communique stated.
On the proposal by the Nigeria Governors Forum to increase the Price of Fuel, 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 the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
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 government to rehabilitate all four public refineries in Nigeria and build new ones;
It resolved that any decision to increase by even one cent the price of refined petroleum products especially PMS will attract an immediate withdrawal of services by Nigerian workers all over the country without any further notice;
It stressed that it will write officially to the Federal Government of Nigeria 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.
The NEC called on the National Assembly to retain Labour administration, National Minimum Wage, Pension and Industrial Relations in the Exclusive Legislative List of the Constitution.
The NEC directed the full mobilization of workers at all the Zonal Public Hearings to lend weight to the demands and aspirations of Nigerian workers in the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution.
