NLC to FG: Go Back To Old Fuel Pump Price Before Tuesday Night Or Expect Mother Of All Protest

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) yesterday gave the federal government till Tuesday night to revert the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit  (PMS), also know as fuel, to its old rate of N86:50 per litre or face a nationwide strike that would ground the nation’s economy.

The two trade unions in the country said they will lead Nigerian workers and their civil society allies to shut down the country as from Wednesday morning should the federal government fail to revert the recent increase in the prices of petrol.

The National Executive Council (NEC) of the NLC took the decision to commence a full and total strike across the country as from Wednesday morning, after their meeting at the Labour House, Abuja yesterday evening.

Though, the congress kept mute after the meeting and defer formal  communication of their decision till 12 pm today, when they will be addressing a press conference, sources at the meeting told our reporter that total strike is imminent, as the congress has resolved to mobilize the workers and Nigerians to shut down the entire nation starting from Wednesday morning.

The congress, the source said, gave the government till late night on Tuesday within which to revert the increased prices of fuel and the electricity tariff, or face a total nation wide strike.

The source also informed our reporter that the NLC deliberately delayed their press conference till today in order to liaise with their TUC counterpart, harmonize their positions and jointly address the media.

The congress has directed all its affiliate unions to set up a monitoring team to monitor and ensure the success of the strike.

Meanwhile in a communiqué issued by TUC at the end of its NEC, the NEC-in-Session, yesterday rejected in its entirety the astronomical increase in the price of petrol from N86.50 per litre to N145 per litre and demanded that the Government should revert to the old price regime with immediate effect.

The communique signed by TUC president,  Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama and Ag general Secretary, Comrade Simeso Amachree gave the Federal Government up till Wednesday, May 18, 2016 to invite the leadership of labour for discussion aimed at determining the appropriate way forward.

“The NEC-in-Session also directed the leadership of the TUC to interface with the NLC and the Civil Society Allies to work out action plans that would be put in place to protest the insensitive fuel price hike should the Government fail to meet the Wednesday, 18th May, 2016 deadline,” the communique stated.

TUC said after deliberating extensively on the recent increase in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) by the federal government, it became imperative for the government to revert to the old pump price of fuel.

I”The NEC-in-Session rejected in its entirety the astronomical increase in the price of petrol from N86.50 per litre to N145 per litre and demanded that the government should revert to the old price regime with immediate effect”

The NEC-in-session also directed the leadership of the TUC to interface with the NLC and the Civil Society Allies to work out action plans that would be put in place to protest the insensitive fuel price hike should the government fail to meet the Wednesday, May18, 2016 deadline.