Index to Nigerian Newspapers

Barely 24 hours after meeting with President Bola Tinubu where an agreement was reached to call off their protests, the rapprochement between the organised labour and the Federal Government appeared to have collapsed as the unions on Thursday night vowed to embark on a nationwide strike from August 14 if their leaders were summoned for contempt of court orders.

 The Nigeria Labour Congress hinged its decision on the contempt of court application filed by the Federal Ministry of Justice against the labour leaders on Wednesday.

It threatened to down tools should the Federal Government fails to withdraw the lawsuit accusing the labour leadership of disobeying court orders.

The NLC President, Joe Ajaero, announced the decision on Thursday night after the union’s National Executive Council meeting which was held in Abuja. 

In a bid to avert a strike by the labour movement last month, the FG had through the Federal Ministry of Justice secured an order from the National Industrial Court restraining the NLC and the Trade Union Congress from embarking on any strike action over issues bordering on “removal of fuel subsidy, hike in prices of petrol and consequential increase in cost of living,” pending the determination of the suit.

The Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mrs Beatrice Jedy-Agba, in a statement, urged the NLC to withdraw the seven-day notice it issued on its plan to commence a nationwide industrial action from August 2, if the demands of labour unions were not met.

The justice ministry sternly warned in a statement on July 26 that the planned strike by the union would be contempt of court, an offence that is punishable by imprisonment.

The House of Representatives has called on the federal government to implement its promise on putting in place palliative measures to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal on Nigerians. The call followed the adoption of a motion by Aliyu Sani Madaki (NNPP, Kano) at the plenary on Wednesday. 

Presenting the motion, the lawmaker recalled that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had on May 29 announced the removal of fuel subsidy which pushed the pump prices from N194 to over N500 with variations in states. He said there was the need to put in place measures to protect the rights of citizens and prioritise the provision of palliatives to mitigate the challenges that have arisen from the fuel subsidy removal and ensure a more sustainable and inclusive economic framework for the benefit of Nigerians.

Nigeria's petroleum industry regulators and operators have formally effected a subsidy withdrawal, causing retail prices to increase by about 170 per cent to N500 per litre. The new price template took effect after a deadlock in Abuja. Borno and Yobe states have the highest petrol prices, while Lagos has the least. Depots sell the product at N470 per litre, with about N300 per litre going to stakeholders in the value chain. NNPC Limited has adjusted pump prices at its retail stations to N537 per litre, reflecting market dynamics. The company is committed to ensuring a ceaseless supply of products and apologizes for any inconvenience caused. Independent marketers and major marketers dispensed at N540 per litre. IPMAN Public Relations Officer Chinedu Ukadike said the group is ready for deregulation and is ready for competition.