Petrol Price Hike: No Going Back On August 2 Nationwide Protest, NLC Insists   

The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), on Friday, endorsed the decision of its Central Working Committee (CWC) to stage a nationwide protest come Wednesday, August 2, 2023 over the recent hike in price of fuel and the need for the federal government to reverse its anti-poor policies.

The backing came two days after the Negotiation Committee set up by the federal government called for an emergency meeting with the organised Labour in Abuja following the August 2, 2023 nationwide protest notice issued by the Congress.

NEC said it has reviewed the current socio-economic situation confronting Nigerian workers and masses at a meeting held on Thursday to stand by the CWC decisions.

The communique, which was issued after the meeting and signed by the Congress’s national president, Comrade Joseph Ajaero, and its secretary-general, Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja, “re-affirms and supports all the decisions of the CWC meeting of the 25th of July”.

NEC further insisted that the unseriousness of the federal government towards the creation of frameworks to cushion the impact of its hike in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) or Petrol was demonstrated not only in the quality of its representation in the hastily-called meeting of Wednesday but also in their unpreparedness to deal with the issues as canvassed.

“It therefore set up strategy committees across all the states urging all affiliates and state councils including the civil society to come out beginning Wednesday, the 2nd of August, 2023 across the nation to protest Government’s insensitivity to the plights of Nigerians,” Ajaero stated.