The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) on Friday declared a nationwide strike from next Wednesday, June 7, 2023 over the recent removal of fuel subsidy by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero, after an emergency meeting of the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) in Abuja, said the Federal Government of Nigeria, particularly the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited had up until Wednesday next week to revert to the old price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) otherwise referred to as petrol.
He added that failure of the government to meet the ultimatum would attract an indefinite protest across the country.
President Tinubu had on Monday during his inaugural speech at the Eagle Square Abuja, said the era of subsidy payment on fuel has ended, adding that with the 2023 budget making no provision for fuel subsidy, further payment was no longer justifiable.
“The fuel subsidy is gone,” Tinubu said, stating that his government would instead channel funds into infrastructure and other areas to strengthen the economy.
Meanwhile, the Presidential pronouncement has led to an almost instant resurgence of fuel queues across the country.
Tinubu’s decision has received backing from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and House of Representatives, however, it has since been resisted by the NLC and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC).
According to the organised labour, President Tinubu cannot unilaterally take a decision on subsidy removal.
TUC President, Festus Osifo, argued also that there was a reason the immediate past administration of Muhammadu Buhari pushed the “sensitive issue” to the new government.
On Wednesday, an hours-long meeting between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the NLC on the matter ended without a consensus.
The Federal Government of Nigeria representatives included Dele Alake, the spokesperson for President Bola Tinubu; and the Group CEO of the NNPC, Mele Kyari, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele; and former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole.
On the organized labour’s side, the National President of NLC, Joe Ajaero; and the President of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Festus Osifo, were present.
The NLC demanded that the Federal Government of Nigeria return to status quo by reversing the price of fuel before resuming negotiations with labour.
Ajaero also insisted that the Federal Government of Nigeria did not enter into any conversation even on palliative measures for Nigerians, hence the rejection of the latest announcement.
