Labour protest: TUC to decide action after marathon meetings

There are indications that the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has not decided to join the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) planned industrial action to protest the Federal Government proposed petrol pump price hike.

NLC announced its decision to mobilise Nigerians, especially the Civil Society Organisation for an industrial action following government’s decision to completely remove fuel subsidy which in turn will result in a hike in the pump price of petroleum products. The protest is billed for January 21 and February 1.

According to a letter by the NLC president Ayuba Wabba and General Secretary Emmanuel Ugboaja, labour referred to a letter in which the National Executive Council (NEC) of the congress decided among other things, to mobilise Nigerian workers and people for a nationwide protest on the 27th of January 2022, particularly in all the state capitals of the federation.

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“The planned protest is to register the displeasure and rejection by Nigerian workers and people of the proposed plans by the government to increase the price of the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also commonly referred to as ‘petrol’.

“Currently, it is being speculated that the planned price hike would see a litre of petrol selling between N340 and N360,” the letter stated.

Meanwhile, Quadri Olaleye, President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), has hinted that TUC has not decided on the step to take on the matter, noting that subsidy removal is a major issue. He disclosed, however, that congress has other crucial issues to tackle with the government.

“The TUC will make its decision known on 22 of January. We are having our organs’ meeting from the 20th, 21th and 22nd. It is after that meeting that we will decide on what to do.

“The planned subsidy removal is a major issue that we will discuss. We have other issues like the failure of the government to implement the electricity tariff reduction agreement. We will look into it at the meeting. I don’t want to preempt the meeting,” Olaleye said.