FG accuses Labour, CSOs of causing more pains…

Protesters in Abuja

AS the nationwide strike enters day four today, the Federal Executive Council, FEC, yesterday, rose from a crucial session, accusing the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Trade Union Congress, TUC, and the Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, of inflicting more socio-economic pains on Nigerians than the removal of the fuel subsidy.
This came as Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke,yesterday, raised an alarm that “some persons or group of persons are perpetuating criminal activities under the guise of participating in the on-going demonstration against the subsidy removal policy of the Government.”
The meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan, insisted that in spite of the sharp rise in the price of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, the Nigerian pricing regime was still the lowest in the West Africa sub-region.
Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, who briefed State House correspondents, after the meeting, said while government was still willing to dialogue with labour, the three-day-old strike had inflicted so much pains on Nigerians.
Maku, however, appealed to Labour and the civil societies to leave the streets and join government on the negotiation table, saying the Federal Government was open to dialogue and enjoined Labour to avail itself of the opportunity since reverting to the old pump price of petrol could spell doom for the economy.

According to him, the Minister of Trade and Investments, Dr Olusegun Aganga, was working with transporters to ensure that the mass transit buses that have been acquired are on roads after necessary documentation.
“The fact that this protest is only adding more pain to the people of Nigeria and in some places we are also beginning to see that elements outside Labour are already virtually in the forefront and this is creating a lot of security problems in some states. You saw the situation in Kaduna, Edo State.”
According to him, “the Federal Government remains engaged in the process of dialogue with Labour, we have never dismissed the process of dialogue. Even before the full deregulation was announced, Mr. President discussed with all Labour leaders, we discussed with the NLC, TUC, and we discussed with other stakeholders outside Labour, knowing that this key economic policy will affect the general population.”
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