The announcement came six hours after President Goodluck Jonathan
announced a reduction of the pump price of petrol from N141 to N97.
The labour leaders said the decision to suspend the strike and
protests was reached at the National Executive Council meetings of NLC
and TUC, held on Saturday in Abuja.
They also said the N97 price was unilaterally reached by the Federal
Government and that Labour remained resolute on its demand for a
reversal to N65, also would continue to hold discussions
with government on the implementation of the contentious deregulation
programme.
Read Full text of the NLC/TUC statement as you continue....
In the past eight days through strikes, mass rallies, shutdown,
debates and street protests, Nigerians demonstrated clearly that they
cannot be taken for granted and that sovereignty belongs to them.
In the last twenty four hours, the Labour Movement and its allies who
had the historic responsibility of coordinating these mass actions have
had cause to review the various actions and decided that in order to
save lives and in the interest of national survival, these mass actions
be suspended.
We note the major successes Nigerians scored in these past days in
which they rose courageously as a people to take their destiny in their
hands.
First, the Federal Government that chorused continuously that its
decision to increase petrol (PMS) price to N141 is irreversible and
irreducible, was forced to announce a price reduction to N97. We however
state categorically that this new price was a unilateral one by the
Government.
Secondly, Government has been made to adopt the policy to drastically reduce the cost of governance.
A third major success Nigerians recorded is to get the Federal
Government to decisively move against the massive and crippling
corruption in the oil sector.
While until now Government has seemed
helpless to tackle corruption, the mass action of the people has
compelled it to address accountability issues in the Sector. In this
wise, President Goodluck Jonathan has told the nation that the forensic
audit report on the NNPC will be studied and proven acts of corruption
will be sanctioned.
He also promised that accountability issues and current lapses in the
oil sector will be speedily addressed including the passage of the
Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).
A related success of the mass action by Nigerians is the vow of
Government to bring to justice all those who have contributed in one way
or another to the economic adversity of the country.
The Labour Movement commend Nigerians for their resolve to change the
country for the better and we shall take advantage of the Government’s
invitation to further engage on these issues. This is in line with
Labour’s resolve that the oil industry is too important to be left in
the hands of bureaucrats, and that we have the patriotic duty to ensure
that Nigerians get the best from this natural resource.
The least we owe our compatriots who have become martyrs in the
patriotic struggle to reassert our sovereignty and ensure good
governance is to remain steadfast and unbowed. Labour reiterates its
demand that those who perpetuated violence against unarmed protests
should be brought to justice.
With the experiences of the past eight days, we are sure that no
government or institution will take Nigerians for granted again.
In view of the foregoing, Labour and its allies formally announce the
suspension of strikes, mass rallies and protests across the country.
We demand the release of all those detained in the course of the
strikes, rallies and street protests.
We thank all Nigerians especially market men and women, artisans,
youths, students, the Nigeria Bar Association, the Nigeria Medical
Association, the National Assembly, Civil Society Organisations
faith-based organizations, artistes and Nigerians in Diaspora for their
invaluable support and active participation during the strikes, mass
rallies and street protests.
Abdulwahed I. Omar Peter Esele
President, NLC President, TUC
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