NLC suspends nationwide strike

....To resume meeting with FG
By Victor Ahiuma-Young & Johnbosco Agbakwuru
NIGERIA Labour Congress, NLC, led by Mr. Ayuba
Wabba, yesterday suspended its ongoing
nationwide strike to force the Federal Government to
reverse the N145 per litre pump price of petrol and
resolved to resume negotiation with the
government.
This came as the Joe Ajaero led faction assured
that labour would engage the federal government to
ensure there was a time frame for ending
importation of refined petroleum products into the
country.
Giving reasons for the suspension in a chat with
journalists, Wabba said: “Let me also inform you
that part of the decision is because of the
intervention particularly of the leader of All
Progressives Congress, APC, Ahmed Bola Tinubu
and the fact also that we are going back on the
negotiation table. We also thought that this was an
opportunity to bring the things on the table. But we
have remained consistent on our position.”
Earlier, at an emergency meeting of the National
Executive Council, NEC, in Abuja, to review the
protest, Wabba noted that the NEC reviewed the
protest and its impact across the nation, the
sacrifices of its members, response of the generality
of Nigerians, government’s attitude and alleged
brutality of the police in some states.
Communiqué
Briefing on the communiqué he signed alongside
the General Secretary, Dr. Peter Ezo-Eson, he said
NEC took special notice of the Ebonyi State Police
Command, the factional President decried perceived
intimidation, harassment, arrest and detention of
members unjustly.
According to him: “NEC after due consultation with
its constituents resolved to suspend with
immediate effect, the action it commenced on
Wednesday, May 18, 2016. The action is hereby
suspended. Congress will resume negotiations with
government on the twin issues of the hike in
electricity tariff and an increase in the pump price of
petroleum products and any other issue that may
arise thereof. It similarly remains committed to
genuine dialogue within the framework of
internationally established and recognized
principles of representation.
“The Congress will continue to resist wrong
legislations, policies and programmes and will
always act in the best interest of Nigerians as it
remains the only pan Nigerian organisation not
affected by religion, creed, partisanship or
primordial sentiments. The Congress urges the
government to play by the rules in its engagement
with its constituent parts, stakeholders and non-
state actors as proof of its commitment to
deepening our democracy and also in
acknowledgment of the well-worn credo that what
goes around, comes around. The Congress also
urges the citizenry to be vigilant at all times as the
price of freedom is eternal vigilance.”
Wabba explained that the protest was informed by
the twin issues of the unjustified and illegal hike in
electricity tariff and increase in the pump price of
petrol, declaring the protest to be a success in
spite of both internal and external challenges.
According to him, NEC also acknowledged that the
temptation to compare the strike with that of 2012
could be compelling, but that the scenario had
changed as both the actors and the terrain were
different, stressing that before the action, it had
anticipated a probable outcome and was not
surprised by government’s negative response.
The factional president said however, NLC felt
fulfilled by having the presence of mind and
courage to identify its mission and fulfilling it,
stressing that if a similar situation arose again, it
would still rise and stand with the people.
He noted that NEC commended those who took part
in the action in one way or the other and reaffirmed
its commitment to the struggle, insisting that the
action was taken in the best interest of the poor
and the weak and in drawing government’s
attention to the dangers of relying on importation of
petroleum products as a sustainable strategy for
making available petroleum products.
He argued that in the days ahead, time would prove
NLC’s position right, singling out for
commendation, state councils, affiliates and other
Nigerians who at very short notice joined the
struggle.
Wabba added that NEC equally commended the
leadership of the National Assembly and All
Progressives Congress, APC, led by Senator Ahmed
Bola Tinubu.
Ending importation
Meanwhile, the NLC faction led by Joe Ajaero,
weekend, assured that organized labour would
engage the Federal Government to ensure there was
a time frame for ending importation of refined
petroleum products into the country.
At a briefing in Lagos over the agreement reached
with government on the way forward following May
11 hike in the pump price of petrol to N145, the
faction insisted that the N145 per litre of petrol
remained illegal since it did not come from the
Board of Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory
Agency, PPPRA.
According to Ajaero, even if Organised Labour and
other Nigerians forced the government to reduce the
price to even N50 per litre that would not make it
legal.
According to him: “If you remember some years
back, late Barrister Bamidele Aturu, went to court
and got a ruling that it was only the Petroleum
Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency, PPPRA,
that had the constitutional right to fix the prices of
petroleum products, that what government did then
was illegal. Based on that, we looked at it and said
even if you compel government to reduce the price
to N50 or labour and government decide to fix it at
N50 does not remove the illegality committed."
"For years, the PPPRA board has not been
reconstituted. It was based on that we reached the
agreement that the board should be reconstituted
within two weeks for it to start playing its role.”
Ajaero assured that labour representatives in the 15
member technical committee expected to be
inaugurated today with the Minister of Labour and
Employment, Senator Chris Ngige as Chairman,
would do their best to ensure Nigerian workers get
the best possible.
Contributing, Deputy President of the faction and
President of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural
Gas Workers, NUPENG, said labour would do all that
was possible to ensure there was a time frame to
end importation of products into the country.
According to him: “We will ensure that more
refineries are set up and existing ones are fixed to
perform optimally. We will work to ensure that there
is a time frame to end importation of products into
the country. Equally, we will ensure that the
palliatives are implemented to alleviate the suffering
and pains Nigerians are going through.”