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The decision of the Federal Government to remove fuel subsidy didn’t go well with some Nigerians, and especially its labour force. Starting Wednesday, the Nigerian Labour Congress vowed to embark on nationwide strike following the removal of fuel subsidy and increase in fuel price from N86.50 to N145.
However, an Industrial Court on Tuesday ruled against the proposed strike action by the Labour union. What if the court had not ruled on Tuesday? Would they have sheathed their swords? Below are 10 reasons why the Nigerian Labour Union Should Not Go On Strike.
1. NLC Was Part of the Meeting That Agreed on N145 per Litre: According to the Minister of State for Petroleum, Mr. Ibe Kachickwu, Nigerian Labour Congress among other trade unions was at the meeting that agreed on the new pump price.
2. Lobby for N45, 000 Minimum Wage: The Nigerian Labour Congress calling for the reversal to old pump prize of N86.50 lobbies the Federal Government for N45,000 minimum wage for its workforce.
3. A House Divided Against Itself: Before the Industrial court ruled that the Nigerian Labour Congress should halt strike action, Electricity workers, NUPENG, and their allies already backed down from the industrial action.
4. So many pleas from Nigerians: There have been so many pleas from Nigerian clerics, politicians alike for the Nigerian Labour Congress to see reasons in the Federal Government’s action, noting that it is for the benefit of all.
5. Deregulation is Needful: According to the Federal Government, there should have been deregulation of the downstream oil sector a long time ago. The decision was taken to address the scarcity of the product that had resulted due to low importation caused by the scarcity of foreign exchange and the inability of the nation’s refineries to produce petrol at optimum level.
6. Working Refineries: The sale of petrol at the price range would help to get all the nation’s refineries working by 2018, and the nation to begin exportation of refined petroleum products by 2019. Kachikwu boasted that the new price regime has gone into effect, and that “the market has stabilized in matter of days, in terms of product availability, the queues have virtually disappeared, it is expected that smuggling and diversion will diminish substantially.
7. ‘No Provision For Subsidy’: According to Petroleum Minister Kachikwu, explainedthat there was no provision for subsidy in the 2016 Appropriation Act and as at Monday, the fuel price of 86.50 gave an estimate subsidy claim of 13.7 Naira per litre, which translates to N16.4 billion
8. Pipeline Vandalism: Other factors which necessitated the price hike were significant decline in government’s foreign exchange revenues and renewed sabotage and pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta.
9. Liberalization leads to Competition: The Federal Government restated that they were left with no option than to liberalise the market, as the deregulation of the sector would promote competition and also force the price down within the next six months.
10. A Strong Leadership: According to Governor Adams Oshimole, Nigeria now has a National Leadership that commands integrity. He stated that the change mantra still holds strong, adding that ‘No pain, no gain.’
However, an Industrial Court on Tuesday ruled against the proposed strike action by the Labour union. What if the court had not ruled on Tuesday? Would they have sheathed their swords? Below are 10 reasons why the Nigerian Labour Union Should Not Go On Strike.
1. NLC Was Part of the Meeting That Agreed on N145 per Litre: According to the Minister of State for Petroleum, Mr. Ibe Kachickwu, Nigerian Labour Congress among other trade unions was at the meeting that agreed on the new pump price.
2. Lobby for N45, 000 Minimum Wage: The Nigerian Labour Congress calling for the reversal to old pump prize of N86.50 lobbies the Federal Government for N45,000 minimum wage for its workforce.
3. A House Divided Against Itself: Before the Industrial court ruled that the Nigerian Labour Congress should halt strike action, Electricity workers, NUPENG, and their allies already backed down from the industrial action.
4. So many pleas from Nigerians: There have been so many pleas from Nigerian clerics, politicians alike for the Nigerian Labour Congress to see reasons in the Federal Government’s action, noting that it is for the benefit of all.
5. Deregulation is Needful: According to the Federal Government, there should have been deregulation of the downstream oil sector a long time ago. The decision was taken to address the scarcity of the product that had resulted due to low importation caused by the scarcity of foreign exchange and the inability of the nation’s refineries to produce petrol at optimum level.
6. Working Refineries: The sale of petrol at the price range would help to get all the nation’s refineries working by 2018, and the nation to begin exportation of refined petroleum products by 2019. Kachikwu boasted that the new price regime has gone into effect, and that “the market has stabilized in matter of days, in terms of product availability, the queues have virtually disappeared, it is expected that smuggling and diversion will diminish substantially.
7. ‘No Provision For Subsidy’: According to Petroleum Minister Kachikwu, explainedthat there was no provision for subsidy in the 2016 Appropriation Act and as at Monday, the fuel price of 86.50 gave an estimate subsidy claim of 13.7 Naira per litre, which translates to N16.4 billion
8. Pipeline Vandalism: Other factors which necessitated the price hike were significant decline in government’s foreign exchange revenues and renewed sabotage and pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta.
9. Liberalization leads to Competition: The Federal Government restated that they were left with no option than to liberalise the market, as the deregulation of the sector would promote competition and also force the price down within the next six months.
10. A Strong Leadership: According to Governor Adams Oshimole, Nigeria now has a National Leadership that commands integrity. He stated that the change mantra still holds strong, adding that ‘No pain, no gain.’
