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From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened to go on strike without notice if the current N617 pump price of petrol is raised again.
NLC President Joe Ajaero issued the warning at the African Trade Union alliance meeting in Abuja, on Monday.
Ajaero, who disclosed that there were purported plans to further increase the pump price of petrol, lamented the suffering it was causing Nigerians, especially workers.
He said: “Inflation is flying. Even by the admittance of the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, we have over 133 million Nigerians that are multidimensionally poor. I think we should address those issues. If we even go for a wage increase tomorrow, the inflation that would come up tomorrow would destroy it.
“As we are here now, they are contemplating increasing the pump price of petroleum products, and the Ministry of Labour for some time now would only go to the Ministry of Justice to come up with a so-called injunction to hold the hands of Labour not to respond.
“But let me say this, Nigerian workers will not give any notice if we have not addressed the consequences of the last two increases and we wake up from our sleep to hear that they have tampered with the prices again.
“They have started floating ideas of a likely increase in the pump price of petroleum products.”
Also speaking, General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa), Kwasi Adu Amankwach, said that the Alliance would keep an eye on Nigeria and aid the NLC in its fight.
Amankwach spoke at the occasion, where there were labour delegates from other around Africa, noted that Nigeria must be protected since anything that happens to it will have a significant impact on the entire continent.
He said: “The difficult situation now, not only in the continent but in Nigeria, is the fact that the NLC is involved very heavily in struggling now.
“But I want to assure the NLC that not only are they comrades in alliance, but all of us in the Trade Union around the continent, are keeping a close watch on what is happening in Nigeria and we are looking forward to good progress in your struggle for social not only economic gains but also in your struggle in doing everything possible to keep the gate spaces for political expression in Nigeria because, we know that if Nigeria suffers any major set back, it has dire implications for what happens to the rest of the continent.
“So comrades of NLC, keep up the struggle, we are watching closely and whatever it takes to support your struggles, we the wider African trade union movement are ready to support you.”
