The cabal and profiteering. Credit: Bola Adewara

Labour is spoiling for a fight over fuel price increase. Meanwhile what the Government said was “any entity can now import fuel subject to product quality and standard regulations”.

Instead of their usual resort to industrial strike, I think organised Labour should take advantage of this window of opportunity by putting together its resources to join the line of fuel importers, so that it can sell its products at N86. The advantage is that Labour petroleum products will attract more patronage and force other marketers to do likewise. This is not an alien proposal, there are precedents.

When the government stopped buying cars for workers, Labour took up the challenge by organizing co-operative societies that made cars available to workers who are members.

Bola Adewara

When the government stopped building houses for workers, Labour took up the challenge and started buying acres and hectares of land which they shared to workers through cooperative societies. They even have building materials available to workers through the cooperative society.

I think it’s time Labour unions, societies, associations, churches and communities take up roles in the global free market for the benefit of their members. There is a paradigm shift in ideologies, principles and how they should be employed in our modern world.

The growth of population, innovation in technology and expanding economic space have made it unprofitable to apply the model and formula of the 20th century successfully in this 21st century.

I think it’s time Labour unions, societies, associations, churches and communities take up roles in the global free market…In Egypt the army is involved in commercial construction of roads, bridges and buildings. It owns the company called “Arab Contractors”. The Nigerian Army will soon commence the commercial sale and transportation of petroleum products in its newly constructed mega filling stations in parts of the country.

The need for this inclusive participation in economic activities by Labour is underscored by the prediction that a time will come when most tools of labour for both government and non governmental entities will be machines and not man. By then, Organised Labour whose only goal is industrial agitation for better wages and living conditions of workers will become irrelevant .
Take note that the military is about to key into this new trend of active participation in the free market economy.

In Egypt the army is involved in commercial construction of roads, bridges and buildings. It owns the company called “Arab Contractors”.

The Nigerian Army will soon commence the commercial sale and transportation of petroleum products in its newly constructed mega filling stations in parts of the country.

Other than industrial actions and personal welfare, what do the other bodies and Labour Unions have to bring to the table of free market economy? No to strikes. We are tired. Labour should be more ingenious and start thinking outside the box..

NLC should take advantage of the current fuel price and start importing fuel. What are they doing with all the Union dues deducted from every civil servant in this country? I Feel they should be more enterprising and business oriented.

The market is open for all. Strike or no strike, subsidy is over. We must move on in this country. Less than 50 companies are benefiting from N1.3 trillion in a country of almost 200million people. About 50 companies can’t hold us to ransome. Let’s move on… otherwise we will turn to Greece.