The outgoing President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Ayuba Wabba, has said that the organise labour was engaging in policy that would reduce the price of petroleum products in the country.
Wabba said this at the 13th Quadrennial National Delegates Conference in Abuja on Tuesday.
The theme of the conference is ”Building People’s Power, National Unity and Quest For A New Social Contract”.
According to him, rather than seek reduction to increase in the price of kerosene and fuel because it is faulty, labour will engage on policy deduction.
”The policy of importation was imposed on Nigerians in 2003 by the International Monetary Fund, that is why the price model of products is based on importation,” he said.
The labour leader said that the Federal Government could remove the subsidy on petroleum products when it had started refining locally.
”refining locally will eradicate subsidy and corruption in the entire industry.
” When we refine petroleum in Nigeria, it will create job opportunities for the people. We can organise youths in clusters and give them jobs; so doing, 50 per cent of the problem is solved,” he said.
The NLC president noted that oil was God’s gift to Nigeria, hence, it should impact on the economy positively.
”It is sad that people queue endlessly at the banks to access money and at filling stations to buy fuel.
”Nigerians have been pushed to the wall concerning getting their money in the bank and buying fuel at filling stations; if the issue is not addressed within the shortest possible time, nobody can predict what can happen,” he said.
On tax, the labour leader said that the government should prioritise tax to be self-reliance.
”Correct tax payment will enable the country to remain a solid state because we have opened our borders and we have all manners of textile materials coming in.
”Intact, this is the reason why the textile industry is going down,” he said.
Wabba, however, pointed out that irregular power supply was a major factor affecting textile companies as the few existing one could no longer pay the exorbitant rate.
On public service, he called for 100 per cent review of workers salary, different from minimum wage increase.
He said that salary review was implemented for political office holders in 2008, therefore, a boost in the salary of workers would enhance productivity.
He further advised the Federal Government against privatising the health and education sector as these were the fundamental rights of every citizen.
”In some region, 20 million children are already out of school, so, if education or health is privatised, people will not receive quality care service and education,” he said.
On security, the outgoing NLC president appealed to the government to do everything possible to address the challenge.
He recalled that the late Musa Lawal, a General Secretary of the Trade Union Congress was among those that died in the Kaduna train attack as a result of insecurity.
Wabba, who was elected president from the health union in 2015, thanked the workers for their support, adding that in his 35 years as labour activist, he contested 13 elective positions and won all.
The NLC is made up of 50 affiliate unions across the private and public sector.
About 3,000 delegates within and outside Nigeria, attended the two-day conference expected to elect a new president on Wednesday.
