Senate Urges NLC to Suspend Planned Nationwide Strike

 

The Senate on Monday called on the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to suspend its planned nationwide strike scheduled to commence on 2 August over the removal of fuel subsidy.

The call for suspension of the strike was a sequel to a motion moved by Kawu Sumaila (NNPP, Kano South) at the plenary presided over by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

The leadership of the NLC had recently directed all its affiliates and state councils to mobilise workers across the country for a mass protest to show their displeasure at the removal of petroleum subsidy.

Mr Sumaila, while presenting his motion on the floor of the Senate, said the strike action, if embarked upon, would cripple business activities in the country as hospitals, schools, and markets would be forced to shut down.

The Kano senator stressed that if the strike was not averted, it may plunge the country into deeper economic woes, dislocate businesses and promote hunger.

Mr Sumaila urged the Senate to interface between the NLC and the federal government to avert the planned nationwide strike.

When the matter was thrown open for debate, many of the senators contributed to the motion. They mandated the Senate to interface between the NLC and FG to stop the intended nationwide strike.

Contributions

Seriake Dickson (PDP, Bayelsa West), Olamilekan Adeola (APC, Ogun West) and Aminu Tambuwal (PDP, Sokoto South) were among the senators that contributed to the motion.

Mr Dickson, who contributed to the motion, urged the Senate to intervene to stop the impending strike of the leadership of the NLC.

He requested that the palliative measures of N8,000 be reviewed by the president, adding that the amount was not enough to cushion the effect of the removal of petroleum subsidy on Nigerians.

The Bayelsa senator also urged the Senate to engage the leadership of the NLC before upper chamber members commence vacation.

In his contribution, Mr Adeola submitted that removing the petroleum subsidy was imperative.

As representatives of the people, we feel their hardships. The removal of subsidies is very imperative. Even the president said he understands the pain of Nigerians.

“I know that the government is not sleeping. They are working around the clock. In my state, N10,000 has been added to their take-home, aside from their salary. Whatever the challenges are, the Senate should engage the presidency and leadership of NLC.

We are appealing to the NLC leadership to give us time to address the issue. They should give the government time. From today or tomorrow, there should be a meeting with the leadership of the NLC,” he said.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, who contributed to the debate, noted that the Senate identifies with Nigerians on the current hardship.

“What they are saying is a true reflection of what people are facing. We come from communities that have a high rate of poverty. Even our earnings here cannot take care of what we are seeing,” he said.

Mr Akpabio subsequently approved that the Senate interface between the NLC and the Nigerian government stop the planned nationwide strike.

The senate president also called on state governors and local government administrators to look into the palliative measures.

“I also want to urge the state and local governments to look into the allowances. It is not only the federal government that should take it. The state government and local government are also getting something. They should look into doing something to cushion the effect of the removal of petroleum subsidy,” Mr Akpabio said.

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