NLC Vows Total Shutdown,Gives Nigeria Government 96Hrs To Revert To Old Petrol Price

 

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and its affiliates, include the Trade Union Congress, TUC, on Saturday gave the federal government a 96-hour ultimatum to rescind the deregulation of the downstream sector of the petroleum industry and revert to the old petrol price of N86.50 per litre or face a total shutdown of the economy from Wednesday.
The NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, said if the government failed to accede to their demands by midnight Tuesday, the workers would have no option than to call out their members on an indefinite strike.
Although the National Executive Councils of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, and National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, on Friday resolved to support the government, Mr. Wabba said the ultimatum to the government was the collective resolution of the NECs of the various affiliate unions and civil society Groups.

“Since there has not been any increase in salaries, wages or pensions of workers in the past five years, and in the face of devaluations, spiraling inflation and other vagaries of the economy, the increase in fuel price is unrealistic, unaffordable, unacceptable, and is thus rejected,” Mr. Wabba declared.

“It is evident that the neo-liberal forces in the government have taken over, and we should expect more inhumane policies which will further degrade the living standard of the average Nigerian. The punitive electricity tariff and PMS product prices may just be teasers,

 “The price hike from N86:50 to N145, representing 67.63% increase, is the height of insensitivity and impunity as there was no previous consultation with stake holders, especially the organized labour, or any justification for this reckless decision other than the fact that government believes it is accountable to no one,” he stated.