In a bid to forestall a planned nationwide protest against the federal government’s proposed increase in the pump price of petrol, Nigerian governors have resolved to dialogue with organised labour.
Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Ekiti State governor, Kayode Fayemi, who disclosed this to newsmen on Wednesday night after a meeting of the forum, said the issue of fuel price increase was a joint decision.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), through the secretary general, Emmanuel Ugbooaja, has however vowed to go ahead with the nationwide protest.
The National Economic Council has recently projected the pump price of petrol will increase from the N162-N165 per litre to N302, which is generating angst among Nigerians.
The governors’ forum has, therefore, decided to engage with labour leaders to find a way around the matter.
Fayemi said: “The Forum also discussed the issue around petroleum subsidy and concluded to engage the leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) on how best to address this issue without causing any disaffection to salvaging the Nigerian economy for the Nigerian people at the end of the day.
So, we shall be engaging Nigeria Labour Congress as subnational leaders with a view to ensuring that the outcome of our engagement will also be fed into the national discourse.
