The organised labour has threatened to call out its members for a strike should the federal government go ahead to increase pump prices of petroleum products.
According to the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, such action will worsen the suffering workers are experiencing from the negative impact of a similar upward review of petroleum products prices carried out last year.
He made this claims during the opening of the 14th edition of the NLC special school programme in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital “We would not fail to go on strike over any attempt to further increase the pump price of petroleum products in the country.’’
According to the NLC President, despite the change the federal government promised Nigerians, the socio-economic conditions of average Nigerians have continued to degenerate by day, adding that, it was time to convene a tripartite committee to review the national wage for workers.
“In the face of rising inflation following the devaluation of the Naira which makes the current minimum wage not to pay the transport fare of workers to and from work, not to talk of buying them basic needs, congress requests that, it is time minimum wage is reviewed as quickly as possible,” he said.
Similarly, the NLC President warned marketers of petroleum products not to contemplate any further increase in the pump price of the products especially that of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), saying the current economic hardship required alternative economic agenda that should not be planned by the government alone.
“It needs consultation with broad segment of the Nigerian society,especially with the progressive groups like the Nigerian Labour movement.”Declaring the Rain School open, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, noted the importance of the Labour movement in any growing economy and commended labour for establishing a school programme to provide training grounds for congress members.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Etekamba Umoren, he said that his administration would continue to provide essential services to the people of the state in order to drive the economy through private sector partnership.He urged the organised labour in the state to support government efforts aimed at addressing the current challenges caused by the economic downturn.
The school programme is an educational scheme of the congress made to provide all-round training to labour activists and others within and outside Nigeria.According to Etim Ukpong, Akwa Ibom State Chairman of the NLC, it provides for better industrial relations, greater understanding of the economic, political and social variables that make up the process of governance in the changing world, and employer-employee relations, in line with global best practices.
Source: Guardian.ng
