By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has demanded an immediate reversal of the hike in petrol price announced by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited.
Recall that the retail arm of the NNPC across the country adjusted their pumps to the new price yesterday, especially those in Lagos to N855 per litre, in contrast to the previous rate of N568 per litre.
In other parts of the country, the product is sold as high as N897 per litre and N900 per litre.
In response, the union body in a statement signed by its president, Mr Joe Ajaero, accused the federal government of betraying the labour movement, saying the hike has worsened the misery of Nigerians.
“We demand the immediate reversal of the latest increase in the pump of PMS across the country, the release of all those incarcerated or being prosecuted on the assumption of having participated in the recent protests.
“Halt the indiscriminate arrest and detention of citizens on trumped-up charges, reversal of the 250% tariff hike in electricity, and stop the hijacking of the duties of the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
“End to policies that engender hunger and insecurity, Halt to government’s culture of terror, fear and lying. We are guided by our belief in our country and the need to secure and sustain its sovereignty, integrity and welfare of the people,” he said.
He also lamented that the current administration is yet to implement the new national minimum wage of N70,000.
The NLC accused the Bola Tinubu-led government of insincerity and described the policies of the current administration as traumatic.
He recalled how President Tinubu gave labour leaders the option of choosing from N250,000 as the new minimum wage in exchange for petrol price at N1,500, and said they rejected the offer due to the impact it would have on Nigerians.
“But here we are, barely one month after and with the government yet to commence payment of the new national minimum wage, confronted by a reality we cannot explain. It is both traumatic and nightmarish.
“Yet, when we told the government that its approach to resolving the fuel subsidy contradictions was patently faulty and would not last, its front-row cheerleaders sneered at us, saying we did not understand basic economics.
“But if truth be told, this act of betrayal is consistent with the character of this government. We recall the assurances we were given by the leadership of the National Assembly on the 250 per cent tariff hike, that it had been dealt with and there was no need to openly engage the Minister of Power who was at that meeting,” he said.
Mr Ajaero also regretted that instead of the promised reversal, “the rate has since been jerked up further putting more Nigerians and businesses in jeopardy.”
