Kano NLC Says No Going Back On Strike

…. Calls On Protesters To Take Over Streets Tuesday

.... Yakasai Hails FG, NLC

KANO, January 16, (THEWILL) – The Kano State chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC) Monday night at an emergency press conference, insisted that it will not suspend its industrial action as directed by the Abdulwahab- Omar led National Executive until the Federal Government reverts to the old fuel pump price to N65 per litre.

The Kano Chapter Chairman, Yunusa Danguguwa therefore called on Kano workers not to go back to work but to continue the protest until the Federal Government heeds its demand to return the pump price to status quo.

According to him, the national strike was not a creation of NLC alone, stressing that if any decision should be taken, students, lecturers and the Nigerian masses ought to have been consulted, which was not the case, according to him.

Danguguwa insisted that an earlier agreement by the Organized Labour and the Civil Society group was, “that before any negotiation should be opened, the Federal Government must revert the fuel pump price to N65,” pointing out that since the pump price remains above N65 per litre, “the struggle continues.”

Danguguwa threatened that NLC Kano chapter was ready to, “remove the NLC T-shirt and face-cap and continue the struggle with the Kano masses until victory is achieved, stressing that it is N65 per litre of fuel or nothing.

“This night, the tactical committee of the NLC and other concerned stakeholders would map out strategies on how and where to commence the protest tomorrow (Tuesday) until the Federal Government brings down the fuel pump price to N65 per litre.

‘The struggle is beyond personal interest, this is not what the people that were killed or injures bargained for,” he added.

Kano protesters had earlier defied the NLC's Sunday order that cancelled street protests earlier scheduled for Monday.

Yakasai Hails FG, NLC

Meanwhile, Elder statesman, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai has commended both Federal Government and the Organized Labour for reaching an agreement that snowballed into the suspension of the national strike yesterday.

Yakasai in a telephone chat with THEWILL in Kano said the Federal Government-Labour deal is in the best interest of ordinary Nigerians, just as he hopped that further discussions on the fuel subsidy policy would lead to a compromise that could be suitable to the nation’s economic growth.

“Both the Federal Government and the NLC have exhibited the highest sense of maturity in coming into a compromise for the interest of the nation,” Yakasai said.

The former political Adviser to ex-president Shehu Shagari hoped that the Federal Government would leave up to its expectations as per the deregulation of the downstream oil sector for the long-run benefit of Nigerians.

“I praise the courage of both sides for using common sense and demonstrating maturity in bringing the situation into amicable settlement in the interest of peace and tranquility in the nation,” he stated.