The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened to shut
down the economy if the federal government refuses to reverse the recent hike
in petrol price and electricity tariff in 14 days.
The NLC president, Ayuba Wabba, said this at the end of the
NLC’s central working committee (CWC) meeting on Wednesday in Abuja.
Mr Wabba said workers and Nigerians are disappointed that
the government decided to increase both the price of fuel and electricity
tariff at a time “other countries across the world are giving palliatives to
their citizens to cushion the effect of COVID-19.”
Issues
Recall that the electricity distribution
companies had hiked their tariffs from about N30.23 to about N62.33 per kWh for
Nigerians after the federal government said it would no longer subsidise
electricity consumption.
Also, the price of petrol increased from about N145 to about
N161 per litre.
NigerianEye had also reported how Trade Union Congress (TUC)
and civil societies issued a seven-day ultimatum to the federal government to
reverse the increases in petroleum products, electricity tariff and other
social services, or prepare for an indefinite industrial action and national
protest starting from September 23.
In an effort to resolve these issues, President Muhammadu
Buhari directed the minister of employment and productivity to hold a meeting
between the federal government, labour unions and the CSOs.
However, the meeting, held on Tuesday, ended without an
agreement.
The parties later resolved to further consult and reconvene
at a latter date, which has not been communicated
Labour’s position
According to Mr Wabba, the CWC identified that COVID-19 and
the socioeconomic situation of the country has caused Nigerians enough
suffering, and now the hike has reduced the purchasing power of Nigerians.
“Also, it has brought about high cost of goods and services
and we saw that it has eroded completely the gains of the N30,000 minimum
wage,” he said.
He said the CWC and the NEC also took reports of the meeting
that took place between the federal government and organised labour where NLC
was represented by 14 of its leaders.
He said the CWC issued a two-week ultimatum to the federal
government to reverse the fuel price hike or face industrial action and
peaceful Assembly.
“In furtherance to this, the Central Working Committee
resolved also to convene a meeting of the national executive council in line
with our constitution, on September 22, 2020, Tuesday, to also give effect to
this decision because the proposed action, will commence on Monday, September
28, 2020, if those issues are not addressed,” he said.
Mr Wabba said the NLC central working committee will also
mobilise its members, civil societies and other social partners to try to
resist these policies because it has driven many Nigerians into poverty.
“This afternoon, the Central Working Committee members were
sharing their aims and experiences arising from the exploitative nature of
these policies where it is very evident even in some cases the N30,000 minimum
wage cannot actually pay for the electricity,” he said.
“The experience we have here is that somebody actually
loaded a credit of N30,000, it could not take him two weeks and this has been
the experience all over the country. It is really a decision that is biting at
every worker and every family and I think it is a decision that certainly
requires reversion,” he said.
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