NLC Says No To Further Fuel Increase

*Insists On Building Refineries, Resuscitating Old
Ones

Following the proposal by the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) on
fuel price increase, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) on Thursday
vowed to resist any attempt to further increase fuel price.

NLC threatened that a nationwide strike action would be embarked
on should the Federal Government decides to consider the governors’
proposal.

In a communique issued at the end of its virtual meeting held at
the Labour headquarters in Abuja, the NLC tasked FG to rather build
new refineries, and rehabilitate the existing ones, to sustainably
address the lingering crisis of continuous fuel price increase in
the country.

“We still stand solidly by our decision taken at our NEC meeting
which took place on 17th February 2021 to reject further increases
in the price of refined petroleum products particularly the Premium
Motor Spirit (PMS). The only sustainable way out of the crisis of
fuel importation and associated dislocations in the downstream
petroleum sub-sector is for government to rehabilitate all four
public refineries in Nigeria and build new ones.

“Any decision to increase by even one cent the price of refined
petroleum products especially PMS will attract an immediate
withdrawal of services by Nigerian workers all over the country
without any further notice; and we will officially write to the FG,
conveying the plight of Nigerian workers, the concerns of congress
and the resolutions of the NEC on the matter of fresh proposals for
an increase in the pump price of fuel especially as informed by the
stance of the Nigeria Governors Forum,” the NLC stated.

On the review of the 1999 Constitution of the nation, the NLC
charged the National Assembly to retain labour administration,
National Minimum Wage, Pension and Industrial Relations in the
Exclusive Legislative List of the constitution.

The communique, jointly signed by the NLC President, Comrade
Ayuba Wabba, and Comrade Ismail Bello, the Ag. General Secretary,
accused the FG of excluding the union from the decision made on the
last fuel increase.

According to the congress, there is currently no negotiation
with the government over the fuel price increase.

“The NEC recalled that the last meeting with the government in
February 2021 was adjourned sine die. Since then, no other meeting
has been called by the government. The NEC recalled and reiterated
the decision it took on 17th February 2021 after the last meeting
between labour and the Federal Government team on fuel price
increase.” it said.

The NEC also directed the full mobilization of workers at all
the Zonal Public Hearings to lend weight to the demands and
aspirations of Nigerian workers in the ongoing review of the 1999
Constitution.

*Insists On Building Refineries, Resuscitating Old
Ones

Following the proposal by the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) on
fuel price increase, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) on Thursday
vowed to resist any attempt to further increase fuel price.

NLC threatened that a nationwide strike action would be embarked
on should the Federal Government decides to consider the governors’
proposal.

In a communique issued at the end of its virtual meeting held at
the Labour headquarters in Abuja, the NLC tasked FG to rather build
new refineries, and rehabilitate the existing ones, to sustainably
address the lingering crisis of continuous fuel price increase in
the country.

“We still stand solidly by our decision taken at our NEC meeting
which took place on 17th February 2021 to reject further increases
in the price of refined petroleum products particularly the Premium
Motor Spirit (PMS). The only sustainable way out of the crisis of
fuel importation and associated dislocations in the downstream
petroleum sub-sector is for government to rehabilitate all four
public refineries in Nigeria and build new ones.

“Any decision to increase by even one cent the price of refined
petroleum products especially PMS will attract an immediate
withdrawal of services by Nigerian workers all over the country
without any further notice; and we will officially write to the FG,
conveying the plight of Nigerian workers, the concerns of congress
and the resolutions of the NEC on the matter of fresh proposals for
an increase in the pump price of fuel especially as informed by the
stance of the Nigeria Governors Forum,” the NLC stated.

On the review of the 1999 Constitution of the nation, the NLC
charged the National Assembly to retain labour administration,
National Minimum Wage, Pension and Industrial Relations in the
Exclusive Legislative List of the constitution.

The communique, jointly signed by the NLC President, Comrade
Ayuba Wabba, and Comrade Ismail Bello, the Ag. General Secretary,
accused the FG of excluding the union from the decision made on the
last fuel increase.

According to the congress, there is currently no negotiation
with the government over the fuel price increase.

“The NEC recalled that the last meeting with the government in
February 2021 was adjourned sine die. Since then, no other meeting
has been called by the government. The NEC recalled and reiterated
the decision it took on 17th February 2021 after the last meeting
between labour and the Federal Government team on fuel price
increase.” it said.

The NEC also directed the full mobilization of workers at all
the Zonal Public Hearings to lend weight to the demands and
aspirations of Nigerian workers in the ongoing review of the 1999
Constitution.