No going back on proposed nationwide strike – NLC

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has debunked speculations
that it might back down on its proposed industrial action slated nationwide for
Wednesday.

It said the only reason it would shelve the strike is when
the Federal Government and the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited
NNPCL did the needful by returning to status quo on the fuel subsidy removal
issue.

NLC declared the position in a statement by Benson Upah,
Head of Information and Public Affairs on Sunday.

The workers’ body was reacting to a story in a national
newspaper on Sunday.

It described the report as laughable and desperate attempt
by enemies of the people to polarise Nigeria Labour Congress along ethnic or
regional lines on an issue with a national spread.

According to Upah, “this scenario only plays in their
imagination as Nigeria Labour Congress continues to be the biggest pan-Nigerian
organisation united by a common vision/ mission and shared national values.”

“On the looming strike, we want to assure that all the
affiliate unions of the Congress stand together with an unshakeable resolve to
prosecute, come Wednesday, except the NNPC and Government do the needful.

“Whereas, primordial sentiments such as religion, region or
ethnicity may be refuge for some, at the Nigeria Labour Congress, they have no
place. What counts for us are issues such as the mindless and criminal increase
in the pump price of pms whose burden will be borne by the already impoverished
communities of the poor across Nigeria,” it stated.

NLC said the burden of the malevolent policy would not be
borne by other segments of the country to the exclusion of the North or
South-West, hence, there is no reason for those regions to back out of the
strike.”

Recall that the President, Bola Tinubu had during his
inaugural speech declared that the era of subsidy for petroleum products was
gone, a development that has had ripple effect on the Nigerian polity since May
29, 2023.