Price hike: ‘We’ll shut down Nigeria’

Organised labour has vowed to shut down Nigeria with an unprecedented mass action over the recent hike in petrol price and electricity tariff.

This was the resolution of an enlarged National Executive Council (NEC) meeting by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and a memo to all its affiliate unions and state councils by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) on Tuesday.

The action is to begin on Monday, September 28, the NLC and TUC insisted, on Tuesday, and appealed to all Nigerians to get ready for unprecedented mass action.

The NEC of the NLC ratified the decision of the Central Working Committee (CWC) earlier held on Wednesday last week to commence an industrial strike and stage a nationwide protest from September 28.

The NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, who spoke after the NEC meeting, insisted on the reversal of fuel price and electricity tariff, while he also advised the Federal Government to revamp the four refineries and build modular ones.

Wabba, who also condemned the timing of the increase, warned that failure to meet these demands would compel workers to go ahead with their protest on Monday.

Also, in a statement issued on Tuesday by the TUC, entitled: “Fuel, Electricity Tariff Hike: Update on Strike,” the congress resolved to work in collaboration with the NLC and the civil society allies to execute the strike.

The statement, signed by its President, Comrade Quardri Olaleye, said: “Consequent upon this, the ultimatum which should expire by midnight of Monday, September 22, 2020, has been shifted to September 28, 2020, for effective and maximum effect.

“We want to use this opportunity to call on Nigerians, especially those in the informal sector, to bear with us while the industrial action lasts. There is no need for the pains we bear. It is a needless one.

“They ask us to tighten our belts while they loosen theirs. Services are not rendered yet we are compelled to pay estimated bills. We were told during their campaign that they will build refineries, all that are history now. We run a mono-economy and any hike in fuel automatically will have an adverse effect on us yet successive governments tow that path because they are not creative.”