Bayelsa NLC seeks compliance with suspension of protests

By Aherhoke Okioma

Bayelsa State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged all its affiliates to respect the two weeks suspension of the nationwide protests.

Addressing labour leaders in Yenagoa on Monday, the NLC State Chairman, John Bipre Ndiomu, explained that the suspension was the outcome of negotiations between the Federal Government and the NLC national leadership.

Ndiomu said the period was to enable the Federal Government to implement all the agreements reached with the labour leaders failing which the suspended protest will resume nationwide.

He lamented the increase in the prices of petroleum products in the name of deregulation by the Federal Government while telling Nigerians that the move was to allow market forces determine the price of petroleum products.

Ndiomu maintained that by fixing the prices of petroleum products the Federal Government was in effect regulating the downstream sector.

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According to him, it is a shame that Nigerians have built refineries outside the country from where they import refined products while the existing refineries remain comatose.

While expressing support for the ongoing discussions between government and labour, he also stated his concern over the increase in electricity tariffs, saying it is an invitation for increase in the prices of other goods and services.