LAGOS — Centre for Nationalism and Good Governance, CNGG, has called on the organised labour and civil society groups to end the ongoing mass protest/strike over the fuel subsidy removal and embrace dialogue.

A statement by chairman of the group, Chief Udoka Udeogaranya, said: “Events in the recent times give a profound recognition that President Goodluck Jonathan is doing everything humanly possible to steer Nigeria away from an impending economic catastrophe in the near future, if he is to continue subsidizing fuel.”

He urged Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and other civil society organisations opposing “this good intended policy” to stop the strike/protests urgently and embrace dialogue.

He noted: “It is worthy to note that fuel subsidy consumes about 30 per cent of our government spending, making it impossible for our government to build power plants for the provision of steady electricity supply and other developmental infrastructures, such as good transportation system that will kick start national productivity.”

He said with the removal of fuel subsidy, private investors would see reasons to invest in refineries in Nigeria and create a robust competition which would in the long run see the drop in prices ofpetroleum products.

He said, “we find it imperative to warn NLC and their co-travellers that Nigerians will hold them responsible if the enemies of the state capitalized on their illegal strike to collapse Nigeria or cause some significant damage to our nationhood.

“We thank various state governments in the South East and most parts of Nigeria for their statesmanship in handling the fallouts of fuel subsidy removal as we in the same vein, appeal to all meaning Nigerians to support the efforts of our government and engage them vigorously through dialogue in taking Nigeria to a greater height for sake of our children and the future of our beloved nation,” he added.