NLC declares nationwide strike from Wednesday over fuel price increase

By Business A.M.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has announced that its members will embark on a nationwide strike from June 7, if the federal government through the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) fails to revert to the old pump prices of petrol across the country.

Joe Ajaero, the NLC president made this known at the end of meetings with organs of the Congress in Abuja. He also directed affiliates of the NLC to commence mobilisation immediately ahead of the planned nationwide protest.

In his words;  “The NLC decided that if by Wednesday next week the NNPCL, a private limited liability company, that illegally announced a price regime in the oil sector, refuses to announce revert itself for negotiation to continue, that the NLC and all its affiliates, will withdraw their services and commence protests nationwide until this is complied with.

“The NNPCL doesn’t have the monopoly to act illegally even as a private company. The NLC NEC therefore directed all state councils and all industrial unions to commence mobilisation from this moment to make sure that this action is enforced. The action has commenced at this moment.”

The planned action of the labour union comes amid an increase of over 200 per cent in the pump prices of petrol, orchestrated by the NNPC following  President Bola Tinubu’s pronouncement of an end to the fuel subsidy regime.

Meanwhile, a meeting held between the federal government and the organised labour unions in Nigeria concerning the fuel subsidy removal and the resultant increase in petrol pump prices has been adjourned to Sunday, May 4 2023, after both parties failed to reach a consensus on the matter.