SOCIALIST Party of Nigeria (SPN) has called on the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) to harmonise their resistance against the recent hike in the price of petrol and electricity tariff so as to bring the full weight of the trade union movement on the President Muhammadu Buhari government to reverse its anti-people policies. SPN made the call in a statement signed by Abiodun Bamigboye and Chinedu Bosah, its Acting National Chairperson and National Secretary, respectively.
The two labour centres had individually issued different ultimatums to government demanding the reversal of the increment in petrol price and electricity tariff.
The National Executive Committee (NEC) of TUC after its meeting last week wrote a letter to President Buhari in which it gave a 7-day ultimatum of face an indefinite strike starting on Wednesday, September 23, 2020.
On its part, the Central Working Committee (CWC) of the NLC at its meeting on Wednesday, September 16, 2020, gave a 14-day ultimatum to abort the increment or face an indefinite nationwide strike and peaceful protest beginning on September 28, 2020.
While it welcomes the reactions of the two labour centres, the SPN however stated that these responses should be harmonised “to bring the full weight of the trade union movement to bear in the struggle that lies ahead.”
In its opinion, the SPN on the one hand, asked the NLC to mobilise its affiliates to join TUC’s nationwide protest on September 23, 2020, while on the other hand urged the TUC to also do same by mobilising its affiliates to join NLC’s action starting on September 28, 2020.
“We call on NLC and TUC to be prepared for a protracted struggle, and not a quick dash. SPN is advocating, as a first step, a definite 48 hours general strike, with an active nationwide mass protest that will involve the trade unions, pro-labour organisations and community organisations in mobilizing and taking important decisions regarding the struggle. An indefinite general strike poses the question of power and the working class must be adequately mobilized around an alternative socialist program to achieve the goal of attaining power and transforming society to meet the needs of all.
“We have had at least 9 general strikes in the last 22 years over petrol price hikes and yet the price has moved from N20 per litre in 1999 to N162 per litre, a whopping 700% increment. Petrol and electricity price hikes should not be seen in isolation from the entire neo-liberal capitalist policies, it is part of a pro-rich economic agenda that undermines the interest of the vast majority [of the] working masses. If capitalism is not defeated in the long run, the working masses will constantly come under attack of different magnitude and dimension,” the SPN stated.
Read the full statement below:
September 19, 2020
PRESS STATEMENT
SPN CALLS ON NLC AND TUC TO HARMONIZE THEIR MOBILIZATION AND STRIKES OVER THE STRUGGLE TO REVERSE PETROL PRICE AND ELECTRICITY TARIFF HIKE
SPN ADVOCATES SUSTAINED WARNING GENERAL STRIKES AND MASS PROTESTS
Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) reiterates its condemnation to the recent hikes in petrol price and electricity tariff; the increase in petrol has seen price move up from N148 per litre to N162 per litre while electricity tariff has been increased by over 100%.
The Central Working Committee (CWC) of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have issued two different ultimatums to the government that could lead to indefinite strike actions and mass protest. The TUC had earlier had their NEC meeting and resolved to issue the federal government a 7-day ultimatum to reverse the price of petrol and electricity tariff failing which indefinite industrial actions and national protest will begin on Wednesday, September 23, 2020. On its part, the NLC arising from its CWC meeting on Wednesday, September 16, 2020, had issued the federal government 14 days to reverse the hikes in electricity tariff and petrol price without which indefinite strike will commence on September 28, 2020.
Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) welcomes these responses of the two trade union centres (NLC and TUC) but we call for harmonisation of both responses. We call on the Ayuba Wabba led NLC leadership and Quadri Olaleye led TUC leadership to meet to harmonise their positions. There is the need to bring the full weight of the trade union movement to bear in the struggle that lies ahead.
We urge the NLC to mobilise their affiliates to join the nationwide protest being planned by the TUC on September 23 and the TUC should also do same for the NLC action starting on September 28.
We call on NLC and TUC to be prepared for a protracted struggle, and not a quick dash. SPN is advocating, as a first step, a definite 48 hours general strike, with an active nationwide mass protest that will involve the trade unions, pro-labour organisations and community organisations in mobilizing and taking important decisions regarding the struggle. An indefinite general strike poses the question of power and the working class must be adequately mobilized around an alternative socialist program to achieve the goal of attaining power and transforming society to meet the needs of all.
We have had at least 9 general strikes in the last 22 years over petrol price hikes and yet the price has moved from N20 per litre in 1999 to N162 per litre, a whopping 700% increment. Petrol and electricity price hikes should not be seen in isolation from the entire neo-liberal capitalist policies, it is part of a pro-rich economic agenda that undermines the interest of the vast majority working masses. If capitalism is not defeated in the long run, the working masses will constantly come under attack of different magnitude and dimension.
Hence, we advocate the forming and building of a pan Nigerian mass working class political party armed with a socialist program by workers, youth, trade unions, artisan groups and pro-masses organisations to challenge the bourgeois political parties (PDP, APC etc). This is the only way the working class will sustainably fight and win political and economic freedom. SPN is prepared to be part of all initiatives aimed at emancipating the working masses from slavery and economic crises.
SIGNED
Abiodun Bamigboye Chinedu Bosah
Acting National Chairperson National Secretary
