Fuel Price: NLC Reviews Marketers' Compliance Today
By Chris Nwachuku
Leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and its 29 affiliate unions will today review the extent of compliance of the Federal Government and marketers to the order of Federal High Court, Abuja on the prices of petroleum products.
The meeting slated for Abuja is expected to also determine in the light of available reports from various organs and state councils, whether the suspension of the general strike and mass action following the court order should be lifted or sustained.
Labour Central Working Committee (CWC), is coming on the heels of recent pronouncement by Justice Roseline Ukeje of Federal High Court to try the parties involved for contempt of court, if they fault her initial order.
Ukeje had at the wake of NLC-sponsored general strike, directed both parties to maintain status quo pending the determination of the substantive matter. By the order, NLC was to suspend the strike, while marketers revert to the old pump price of N41.
NLC Acting General Secretary, Salihu Lukman said in a letter sent to the about 100 members of the committee noted that the review of the last general strike is one major topic for discussion.
Already, the national secretariat of NLC has since the suspension of the strike been collating reports from the states and Abuja on the level of compliance. The state council were also requested to ensure proper monitoring to get first hand information on the price levels in their respective jurisdiction.
THISDAY gathered that collated information indicate different figures in the states. For instance, while in Lagos and Abuja, the price stand at N41.80. In Delta State, a litre of fuel is sold for between N42 to N45 as against N52 before the court order. Kwara State where state NLC and the government devised a means to enforce the order, the price hovers around N43; from the N52 per litre on the eve of the strike.
Sources disclosed that while majority of the states sell above n41, they substantially maintain the price prevailing before the last hike and subsequent court order. Though NLC frowns at marketers selling above the official price, and government inability to ensure full compliance with official figure, THISDAY learnt last night that a resumption of the suspended strike is not likely to receive support of majority.
Said one of the senior unionists, "Although we will look at every report, we will not resume the suspended strike. The reason is clear. Although the marketers did not comply to N41; majority of them still sell at the figure before the strike.
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