by Isi Esene

The president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Abdulwahed Omar has assured Nigerians that the Federal Government will not attempt an increase in fuel pump price like it did early this year.

Omar gave this assurance yesterday while speaking to reporters. He said the FG will risk a violent backlash from the masses if it dares to repeat such an action.

According to him, “Nigerians should expect a good year in 2013. We don’t expect sudden surprises from government like we had early this year.

“I don’t think government will be disposed to doing that because if you look at it, the hardship Nigerians are enduring now is slightly higher than what they were enduring at the end of last year.

“So, I think it will be unthinkable for government to want to compound the problems of the common man.

“So, let us hope that 2013 is going to come with good hopes and with a lot of prospects for everybody in this country.”

He reportedly went further to advise the government to tackle the unemployment problem in 2013, saying that it would be a major yardstick for measuring the country’s development.