The Construction and Wood workers International, the UITBB, of which the CFMEU is a member, issued the following statement in response to Nigerian workers’ strike action from January 12 over Government cuts to fuel subsidies.

“The UITBB Secretariat on behalf of millions of construction, wood and building materials workers on all continents extends its militant solidarity to the workers of Nigeria in their fight against the decision by their government to end the fuel subsidies despite their country being the biggest oil producer in Sub-Saharan Africa.

“While the African continent has all the natural resources to make it the wealthiest continent of the globe, these resources have for decades been exploited by big multinationals aided by corrupted politicians, leaving the people of the continent destitute.

“The working class in Nigeria has a huge task despite the persecution they face to fight against their country’s exploitation by greedy multinationals such as the oil company Shell.

“The UITBB supports the Nigerian workers in their struggles to emancipate the poor from the clutches of capitalist exploitation by multinationals and fat cat politicians. The people of Nigeria must be given their inalienable right to the wealth of their country.”

• More info on the 6-day strike Labourstart/Nigeria.