By Our Correspondents
TRUE to its threat, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), commenced its national industrial action yesterday.
But, a faction of the Congress led by Comrade Joe Ajaero, civil servants, bank workers and operators of private businesses shunned the strike in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
As early as 8:00am, civil servants reported for duty at the federal secretariat while security personnel manned strategic locations around the Three Arms Zone. They were also at the entry points into the city, while a police helicopter provided aerial surveillance.
However, NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, led a protest march from the Labour House located at the Central Business District to the Federal Secretariat at the Three Arms Zone.
Wabba reiterated NLC’s resolve to fight for the right of Nigerian workers, to ensure good governance and transparent process for the good of the Nigerian people.
He said the NLC would continue to fight against anti-people policies.
“Therefore, labour and, particularly, the NLC, have said consistently, if policies are right, we will support them but if promises are anti-people, we will continue to resist them.
“That is why we are here today to resist this policy of the increase in fuel pump price, we must allow market forces to drive the pump price of this very essential product in our country,’’ he said.
He blamed the collapse of the refineries on corruption, noting that was why the Congress had earlier mobilised workers in support of President Muhammadu Buhari’s fight against corruption.
Also speaking, Mr Isa Aremu described the increase in price of petrol product by over 70 per cent as outrageous.
Spokesman of the civil society groups, Dr. Dipo Fashina, said the increase was arbitrary, unjust and against all rules of good governance.
There was a mild drama, though, at the entrance of the National Assembly and the offices of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Babachir David Lawal
A group of protesters, in support of the removal of fuel subsidy, stormed the National Assembly.
The protesters comprising mostly young men, numbering about 50, carried a casket said to bear the remains of the removal of subsidy.
They were accompanied by men of the Nigerian police and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, who escorted them to and from their destination.