National Telescope national telescope newspaper
Daniel Ayantoye | Ibadan
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have suspended its planned nationwide strike over the recent decision of the federal Government to halt implementation of the removal of fuel subsidy.
NLC had earlier scheduled thursday, february 27, 2022 for a nationwide rally to protest against the removal of subsidy.
Speaking on behalf of the Union at a press conference held at the NLC, Oyo State Secretariat in Ibadan, Comrade Mike Olanrewaju stated that the strike was no longer necessary since the federal government has conceded to its requests, NATIONAL TELESCOPE report.
He said, “And since the federal government has accepted to suspend the implementation of the removal of the subsidy, the labour has equally decided to soft pedder by suspending the planned rally.”
On his part, the NLC Chairman, Oyo State Chapter, Comrade Kayode Martins, while appreciating members of the Union as well as other stakeholders for their readiness to storm the street for the earlier proposed rally stated that, the Union will resume its planned action, if the federal government rescinds it’s decisions.
“The federal government suspended the whole thing for the meantime, likewise from our own end, per adventure they come up with anything contrary to their decision we should be on the street immediately.
“In as much the directive has come from the national that everything be put on hold, from NLC office here, everything is suspended for now.” He added.
Meanwhile, a Civil Society Organisation identified as Joint Action Front (JAF), Oyo State Chapter has described the NLC’s decision to suspend the rally as betrayal.
Speaking in an interview with journalists on Tuesday, JAF’s Secretary, Comrade Bamigboye Abiodun maintained that the organisation will go ahead with the planned protest on Thursday.
“We are here to show solidarity on the planned action against the federal government decisions to hike the pump price and fortunately when we got here the story changed that the NLC has decided to suspend the planned action.
“We as a Civil Society Organisation, we are not satisfy with such kind of decision. It is a betrayal on the expectation of the masses. And on this basis, we want to use this medium to announce to the general public that the civil Society Organisation in Oyo State under a banner that will be determined later is going to go ahead on thursday to express our dissatisfaction against the decision of the national leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress.
According to him, the rally is also “to express our opposition against the deregulation of the oil sector which is the root cause of all this problem we are facing. We cannot continue to fight, we are ready to confront the cause once and for all and not until this is done we shall never drop our agitation.” He added.
