The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has announced the suspension of its earlier planned nationwide protest against fuel subsidy removal.

This is coming barely a few hours after the labour union had insisted on going ahead with its planned nationwide rally which had been slated for Thursday, January 27, 2022, and February 2, 2022.

This was made known by the President of NLC, Ayuba Wabba, to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday saying that the union took the decision at its national executive council meeting on Tuesday morning, due to the federal government’s decision to halt subsidy removal on petroleum.

What the NLC President is saying

Wabba, in his statement, said members of the NLC would be demobilised following the decision to suspend the protest.

The NLC President said, ‘’At the peak of very rigorous mobilization of Nigerians by the Nigeria Labour Congress and a host of her civil society allies, the government through the Minister of Finance yesterday, January 24, 2022, made a public announcement reversing the plans to increase petrol pump price.

“The position of the government was also officially communicated to the Congress with calls for further engagement. Following the reversal and reapproach by the government, the National Executive Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress met this morning virtually to consider the new position of the government.

”The NEC after vigorous debates took a decision to suspend the planned nationwide protest scheduled for January 27, 2022, and the national protest scheduled for February 2, 2022.’’

The leadership of the Congress said, for now, it plans to continue to engage with the government on the issues of ensuring local refining of petroleum, creation of sustainable jobs and affordable price of petrol for Nigerian workers and people.

In case you missed it

Recall that the Federal Government had earlier announced the postponement of the take-off of the fuel subsidy removal policy till further notice.
The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, who announced this on Monday, attributed the postponement of implementation of the policy to bad timing due to heightened inflation, need for roll out of existing refineries and new ones to reduce volume of products imported into the country, further consultations with stakeholders, among others.
Also, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, had during a special briefing of State House correspondents by the Presidential Communications Team, said that the federal government has proposed an 18 months extension of the implementation of the fuel subsidy removal policy.
He revealed that government has concluded plans to approach the National Assembly to amend the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
The Federal Government had earlier announced the suspension of the planned removal of fuel subsidy.
The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, had on Monday said the government had suspended the plan to remove fuel subsidy.
She explained that the government would make provisions for fuel subsidy beyond its initial June deadline in the 2022 budget.

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