General Secretary National Union of Textile and Garment Workers of Nigeria (NUTGWN), Isa Aremu, and the Kaduna State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Adamu Ango, have given reasons why Nigerians should disregard government’s call against Labour’s planned strike scheduled for Wednesday.

Mr. Aremu, speaking on Monday in Kaduna during a joint press conference of the Kaduna Council of NLC and Trade Union Congress (TUC), said: “The struggle is to rescue President Muhammadu Buhari from forces of importers of petroleum product and forces of deregulation. Labour’s position has nothing to do with politics or President Buhari. We have to caution that people who surround the President are the problem of his government.

“Engineer Ibe Kachuckwu, Minister of State Petroleum, has several times contradicted himself on fuel. At a time he even said it is cheaper for Nigeria to import than to produce oil.”

Aremu said the priority of government should be to provide enough fuel to Nigerians and not to add to the burden of hardship which included the recent hike of electricity tariff.

On the division in the labour movement on the proposed strike, Comrade Aremu was of the opinion that even if one or two decide not to join, “we can grant them that democratic right to take such position. NLC should not be distracted by this development.”

On his part, Comrade Ango, the State Chairman of NLC, said the strike in the state would include protest and a procession.

“All we are saying is that NNPC should be sanitised, refineries and petrochemicals should work. Come Wednesday,18th May, all workers should mobilise and stay at home. Federal Government should engage the two leaderships of NLC and TUC on a way forward,” Comrade Ango said.

•Photo shows Issa Aremu.