Civil society group backs industrial action

Kano Civil Society Forum yesterday pitched its tent with labour on the nation-wide industrial action plan by Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) against the Federal Government’s new fuel price regime.

Rising from its state emergency congress yesterday, the civil society group, an umbrella body of over 100 Kano based human right organizations, insisted they would not hesitate to spearhead the total shut down of activities in Kano even if the labour movement backs out of the struggle.

Addressing journalists shortly after its congress yesterday, General Secretary of the forum Dr. Musa Bashir who condemn the increase of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) known as Petrol from N86.50 to N145, accused the Federal Government of not considering the hard economic conditions Nigerians are currently experiencing.

While unveiling the support of the civil society to the plan strike, the Secretary General said the group is prepared to collaborate with other pressure groups and labour movement to press home their demand.

Dr. Bashir insisted that Federal Government should rather focus its energy on revamping and building local refineries to meet domestic needs of Nigerians.

The group challenged government to crack down the cabals responsible in the crisis of payment of fuel subsidy rather than pushing the blame to poor masses.