Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos state, has asked the
Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) not to go on strike over petrol subsidy removal.
During his inauguration speech on May 29, President Bola
Tinubu said “petrol subsidy is gone”.
The president’s pronouncement immediately led to the
resurface of long queues at fuel stations and a hike in the pump price of the
product across the country.
On Friday, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) issued a
five-day ultimatum to the federal government to revert to the old price of
petrol or face a nationwide protest.
Joe Ajaero, NLC president, said the federal government had
until Wednesday to revert to the old price of N195.
Speaking with reporters on Sunday after a post-inauguration
church thanksgiving service, Sanwo-Olu urged labour leaders to join hands with
the present administration in its commitment to turn the economy of the country
around and make Nigeria a better place for all.
“We are thankful that Mr President is a product of Lagos. We
will pray for him and everything that he stands for. We believe he will
replicate all the good things he has done in Lagos in our country, Nigeria,”
Sanwo-Olu said.
“I want to wish and
plead with our citizens even as NLC has said to us that they want to go on
strike. It is not the time for a strike. During the campaign trail, everyone of
our presidential candidates did say that the first thing they are going to do
is to remove the subsidy.
“So, what has changed? What has the current president said
or what has he done that is different from what any of the other aspirants said
they would do?
“We need to be very patient. He (President Tinubu) has not
even done a week. So let us talk to ourselves and say that we shouldn’t turn it
political. Let us wait and support this man. He has not done a week on the job.
Let him go and reflect and at the sub-national level, we are willing to support
him.
“The point is no industrial strike will solve anything at
this point, it will certainly not bring an end to the issue. The point will be
how are we going to ensure that there is a turnaround in our economy.
“He has mentioned
something about a better wage. We have started that in Lagos. We started it in
January; so other parts of the country can also do the same. We don’t need to
wait for the national government. We just need to reflect on what the
challenges are in our country and let us solve the problem.
“I want to plead with the Nigeria Labour Congress. It
shouldn’t turn into a political thing because we have begun to see that. The
leadership should know that they are leading a pack of people and they need to
restrain themselves. Let us be patient. Let us work around it. NNPC has said
that there is more than enough petrol.”
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