We’re Pressing Ahead With Planned Strike

The Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC) has vowed it is going ahead with planned industrial action to protest the removal of subsidy on petroleum products.

The Congress said all the affiliate unions of the NLC are united with unshakeable resolve to prosecute, on Wednesday the strike, except the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited(NNPCL) and Federal Government revert to the old pump price of petrol.

Head of Information and Public Affairs, NLC, Benson Upah said this in a statement on Sunday in response to a news report published by a national daily.

The statement denied any division in the NLC, saying the news item “only plays in their imagination” of the paper.

The statement reads: “The lead story on the front page of ThisDay of Sunday, June 4th, 2023 entitled _NLC Divided as North, South-West Chapters May Shun Planned Strike, is a 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.

“Happily, 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 action, 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 a 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.

“The burden of this malevolent policy will not be borne by other segments of the country to the exclusion of the North or South- West. Thus, there is no reason for these regions to back out of the strike.

“We do not know from where ThisDay got their story. However, if this is their way of making up for the gaps in their relationship with the new entities in power, we would say, it is rather excessive!”