PENGASSAN, TUC Reject Fuel Subsidy Removal

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) in Lagos on Monday rejected the removal of subsidy on petrol.

The two unions said in statements that they rejected the withdrawal of the subsidy as announced by the Federal Government on Jan. 1.

PENGASSAN said the action was not done in good faith.

“We insist that government exists for the people and their welfare and security should be of paramount concern. The subsidy removal is wrong.

“It is sad that only a few days after the Minister of Finance, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala stated publicly that no date had been fixed for subsidy removal that the government removed it,’’ Zaid Kolawole, PENGASSAN’s Publicity Secretary, said.

The union said marketers had cashed in on the situation by shutting fuel stations to create artificial scarcity.

The TUC, on its part, said it rejected the action and described it as a stab in the back.

“We are surprised that the government could proceed to implement the removal without recourse to the National Assembly which has not given it backing,’’ the congress said in a statement signed by its President, Peter Esele and its General Secretary, John Kolawole.

The TUC called on the government to ensure that new refineries were built and existing ones rehabilitated before the subsidy could be removed.