The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has suspended its planned nationwide protest scheduled to have been held on January 27 and February 2, 2022 respectively.
Recall that after series of meetings and threats by organised labour to cripple the economy, the Federal Government had on Monday, reversed its plans to totally remove subsidy on petroleum products, which by implication, would have jacked up the price of fuel also known as Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to a minimum of N320 per litre
President of the NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba in a statement co-signed by the General Secretary, Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja on Tuesday in Abuja, noted that the decision to suspend the planned protest was the resolve reached at the end of its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting.
Congress, while noting that governments reversal was a victory for Nigerian workers and people, maintained that the proposed removal of petrol subsidy and by implication, the push of pump price of petrol to between N320 and N340 per litre would have “terribly exacerbated the current scourge of inflation in the country, deepened poverty, heightened social tensions and push the country and millions of poor her citizens to the very precipice.”
The statement partly reads: “The policy of removal of petrol subsidy, as we all know, has become a euphemism for a hike in the pump price of petrol.
“After a series of statutory organ meetings culminating in a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting which took place on the 17th of December 2021, the Nigeria Labour Congress renewed its traditional position of resisting incessant increase in the pump price of petrol.
“The NEC went ahead to give directives for the mobilization of workers and citizens for national protests if the Federal Government refused to reverse the planned hike in the pump price of petrol.
“At the peak of very rigorous mobilization of Nigerians by the Nigeria Labour Congress and a host of her Civil Society allies, the government through the Minister of Finance yesterday, 24th January 2022 made a public announcement reversing the plans to increase petrol pump price. The position of the government was also officially communicated to the Congress with calls for further engagement.
“Following the reversal and reproach by the government, the National Executive Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress met this morning virtually to consider the new position of the government. The NEC after vigorous debates took a decision to suspend the planned nationwide protest scheduled for 27th January 2022 and the national protest scheduled for 2th February 2022.”
