By George Mgbeleke
Sequel to strike notice given by the Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC )over the recent subsidy removal and its attendant hardships on Nigerians, the Senate, on Monday, resolved to interface between the federal government and the NLC in order to avert intending strike.
The Red Chamber’s resolution followed a motion titled: “Urgent need to avert intending strike of the Nigeria Labour Congress”, by Senator Kawu Suleiman AbdulRahman (NNPP Kano South) during plenary.
Presenting the motion, Senator AbdulRahman, noted that the NLC had given the federal government a seven-day ultimatum to reverse what the union termed as “anti-poor policies” or face an indefinite nationwide strike from Wednesday, August 2.
He added that the union had directed all its affiliates and state councils to immediately begin mobilisation of workers and other Nigerians, including the civil society allies for a long lasting strike and protests.
Senator AbdulRahman informed that “the labour movement in a statement signed by its national president accused the federal government of failing to meet up with the demands presented to it following the subsidy removal on petrol, which caused an astronomical rise in the pump price of the commodity.”
He was worried that “the strike would cripple the country as movement would be severely curtailed as transport operators would withdraw their services, while markets, schools and healthcare facilities would be forced to shut down.”
The lawmaker further disturbed that “the action could heat up the polity when it occurred and the gains from the strike are far below the costs to either of the parties in conflict.”
“The strike threat by the NLC, if not averted, could plunge Nigeria into deeper economic woes, dislocate businesses, hunger, frustration, more hardship that would lead to unquantifiable financial losses and reduce Nigeria’s Growth Domestic Product, GDP,.
“The NLC strike is also a bad reputation for the Nigerian economy and the educational system, because it portrays the country in a bad light to the external world and discourages foreigners from coming to do business or study in Nigeria.
“The society, always bear the brunt of strikes, like the saying that an idle hand is the devil’s workshop, increase in crime rate, social vices like armed robbery, oil bunkering, prostitution, cyber scams, etc,” he warned.
In his remarks, the Senate President Godswill Akpabio said that the federal government is not relenting in its efforts to alleviate the sufferings of the masses following the subsidy removal on petrol, calling on the local and state governments to always play complimentary roles.
The Senate President had while calling for the understanding and support of Nigerians for the present administration, declared that “98% of our monthly revenue cannot be used to pay subsidy on fuel.”
