Nigerian Labour unions mobilize ahead of protest

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is mobilizing ahead of its planned January 27 and February 1 nationwide protests against removal of petrol subsidy the federal government proposed.

NLC President Ayuba Wabba and General Secretary Emmanuel Ugboaja in a letter on Monday said the protest is necessary to register the displeasure and rejection by Nigerian workers and people of the proposed plan.

The labour leaders also noted that the planned price hike would see a litre of petrol sell between N340 and N360.

“Clearly, this price upsurge would unleash very severe and calamitous dislocation on Nigerian workers, people, and businesses,” the letter stated in part.

“In order to plan for an effective and peaceful protest, we seek the indulgence of your union as a member of the NLC Central Working Committee to be part of a planning meeting with leaders of CSOs scheduled to take place in both Abuja and Lagos states.”

President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Quadri Olaleye also said the National Administrative Council, CWC, and National Executive Council of the NLC would thereafter meet for three days from January 20 to fine-tune the strategies for the protests.

“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.”

The President Muhammadu Buhari administration has succumbed to pressure from the governors and IMF and other world bodies to end subsidizing petroleum and electricity.