The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has asked the federal government to revert to old price of N121 per litre for premium motor spirit known as Petrol.
NLC in a statement by its President,Ayuba Wabba said that the latest increase in the price of petrol was a crass display of complete apathy to the sufferings Nigerians are going through.
The statement said that the Nigerian government is insensitive to the plight of the people by raising prices of essential goods and services.at a time when other countries in same situation as ours are striving to increase welfare benefits and make life better for their citizens.
The Union said” We demand that the federal government reverts to the old price of N121 given during the lockdown associated with Covid-19 pandemic which Nigerians who were mainly confined in their houses hardly enjoyed.
” We also renew our call for a national conversation on the management of our oil assets which we insist must be in tandem with the provisions of our county’s constitution which clearly mandates that the commanding heights of our national economy must be held by the government in the interest of the citizens of Nigeria”
” It is disheartening that despite the gale of opposition by labour and Nigerians to the previous hike in the price of petrol, government went ahead to add scorpion to the scourges on the back of Nigerians.This is indeed a whole new level of government insincerity and insensitivity.
“, The latest increase in the price of petrol is indeed a crass display of complete of apathy to the sufferings Nigerians are going through at this time.While other countries also going through the blues of the Covid-19 pandemic are reducing taxes, increasing welfare benefits and providing palliatives to their citizens, our own government is reducing interest rates on savings by the poor, increasing taxes and hiking tariffs on essential goods and services.Nigerians have never had it so bad”.
The NLC said ” while poor Nigerians are being pilloried by the government of the day with obscene fiscal burdens, those connected to the highest echelons of political power are daily ammassing public wealth and rubbing their illicit loot on our faces.Hobbesian state of living appears to be the perfect metaphor for the state of affair today in Nigeria.
The Labour Union said it would not accept the transfer of government incompetence on Nigerians through hike in the pump price of petrol stating “that the latest increase will be the last straw that would break the camel’s back”
The NLC urged the government to fix the four refineries without delay adding “Nigerian belongs to all of us.Workers are major stakeholders in the Nigerian project as such, Nigerian workers and people must not only be treated fairly but must be seen to be treated by their government.”
