*But Labour says ‘no going back’
06 January 2012, Sweetcrude, ABUJA – An industrial court in Nigeria ordered unions Friday to stop a planned nationwide strike over hike in petrol price, giving authorities legal power to break up any work stoppages by labour groups.
The Associated Press (AP) reports that the order was issued by the National Industrial Court. It came as protests continued across Nigeria over government’s removal of fuel subsidies.
The Nigerian House of Representatives said it would meet Sunday to address the concerns of the people, but President Goodluck Jonathan appears unwilling to pull back from eliminating the subsidy.
Petrol price has risen from N65 per litre ($1.70 per gallon) to N141 per litre ($3.50 per gallon) since the subsidy ended Sunday. That caused prices to inflate for food and transportation across Nigeria, a nation of more than 160 million people where most live on less than $2 a day.
The court order by Justice Babatunde Adejuwon came after a filing by the federal government to stop the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria
