LESS than 24 hours to the commencement of the second phase of the Labour and Civil Society Coalition (LASCO) anti-fuel hike strike, a group, Bureau of African Labour, Human and Democratic Rights (BALHADER) has called on government and labour to work together as partners and not as antagonists in the interest of peace, progress and well-being of the masses of the country.
The group comprising former presidents and general secretaries of Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), National Union of Chemical, Footwear, Rubber, Leather and Non-Metallic Products Employees (NUCFRLANMPE), National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and Nigeria Union of Railwaymen (NUR), also condemned the recent orgy of violence in Anambra State, and called for a judicial commission of inquiry to ascertain the causes of the mayhem with a view to bringing the perpetrators to book.
At a press conference, the group's President-General and former President of NUATE, Chief Clever C. Nnorom said "the palliative committee on fuel hike under the leadership of Senator Ibrahim Mantu should speedily send its report to the Federal Government for implementation.
"New and modern refineries should be established to refine crude into petroleum products.
"Multi-national oil companies should be compelled to build giant refineries to refine our crude oil here in Nigeria.
"Government should establish social welfare schemes for the aged, disabled and unemployed in the
