Fuel subsidy removal: Why we shelved planned protest – NLC

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has opened up on why it decided to stop the protest it was planning against the removal of fuel subsidy. The NLC on Tuesday shelved its planned nationwide protest over the planned hike in the pump price of petrol by the Federal Government. The labour had scheduled a nationwide protest for Jan. 27 and a national protest for Feb. 2 , to oppose government planned hike in pump price of petrol. But the federal government on Monday announced that it had also suspended the planned removal of fuel subsidy. NLC President, Mr Wabba Ayuba said the decision to suspend the protest was taken at a virtual National Executive Council meeting of the NLC. ”At the peak of very rigorous mobilisation of Nigerians by the NLC and a host of her Civil Society allies, the government through the Minister of Finance on Jan. 24, made a public announcement reversing the plans to increase petrol pump price. “The position of the government was also officially communicated to the congress with calls for further engagement. ”Following the reversal and reapproach by government, the National Executive Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress met this morning virtually to consider the new position of the government. ”The NEC after vigorous debates took a decision to suspend the planned nationwide protest scheduled for Jan. 27 and the national protest scheduled for Feb.2,” he said. Wabba added: ”The leadership of the congress has communicated this organ’s decision to our civil society allies who have stood stoically behind Nigerian workers in our quest for social and economic justice for workers and the downtrodden people of our country. “Going forward, we will continue to engage with the government on the very critical issues of ensuring local refining of petroleum, creation of sustainable jobs and affordable price of petrol for Nigerian workers and people.” Meanwhile, the Lagos State Chapter of NLC has said the shelved protest due to hold  on Jan. 27, 2022 is for peace to reign and allow the Federal Government to fufil its agreement. The State Chairman of NLC, Mrs Funmi Sessi, who made this known on Tuesday in Lagos, urged government to be dutiful and diligent in fulfilling its part of the agreement. “The NLC has reviewed every situation surrounding the protest; we have reviewed the intervention of those top leadership of the country; also the intervention of those who are the stakeholders. “Government has said it is not going ahead with the increase in the petrol price and we are not expecting the increase at any point in time, whether now or in the future. “We expect government to be truthful,  dutiful, diligent and work on our refineries,“ Sessi said.