Labour insists on workers strike Thursday
The Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC) insists it will begin nationwide strike action on Thursday.
Asuzu Echezona, the assistant general secretary of the workers’ body said this, according to PUNCH.
NLC’s proposed action follows Federal Government’s initial plan to remove subsidy on petrol (Premium Motor Spirit).
The Cornetreports that the government, on Monday, announced it was suspending the subsidy removal policy.
Zainab Ahmed, the minister of finance, said the policy reversal was due to ‘problematic timing’.
“We did make a provision in the 2022 budget for fuel subsidy from January to June, and that suggests that from July there would be no subsidy.
“Subsequent to the passage of the Act, we went back and amended the fiscal framework and submitted it to the National Assembly to incorporate this money.
“But after the budget was passed and we have had consultation with a number of stakeholders, it became clear that the timing is problematic; that practically, there is still heightened inflation, hence the removal of subsidy will rather worsen the situation,” said Ahmed.
The minister also said President Muhammadu Buhari does not want to impose “more difficulties on the citizens.”
But, Labour says government reversal of the proposed policy is a “game plan and deceit.”
“The congress observed a game plan and deceit in the new development hence, there is no going back in the planned protest scheduled in the state against the plan by the Federal Government,” said Emmanuel Bankole, the NLC chairman in Ogun State.
