NLC Warns FG Against Fuel Price Hike

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has warned the Federal Government against any attempt to further increase the pump prices of petroleum products.

President of the congress, Ayuba Wabba, said the NLC is totally opposed to any further increase as it would increase the sufferings of Nigerian masses who are yet to recover from the negative impact of the last increase of petroleum products in the country.

 Comrade Wabba, while speaking at a National Executive Council meeting of the congress in Sokoto noted with dismay, what he described as ongoing media campaign and contradictory statements from government officials and Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), on plan to review the template for the pricing of petroleum products.

He said, “we are totally opposed to any further increases as we are yet to see the benefits of the last increase even as the current Minimum Wage Act has not been reviewed.

“It would amount to unleashing further hardship on workers and the poor if any further price increase is allowed.

“The government must not take us for granted. Indeed, the patience and perseverance of the entire populace must not be taken for granted, as we will surely mobilise the entire citizenry for mass protest in addition to other legitimate actions to resist any further increase.

Wabba said, what was urgently required of the government is not another increase but a down ward review of the current pump price of the petroleum products.

The congress also urged the federal government to recover the $22billion which the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NETTI) discovered had not been remitted by multinational oil firms to the federation account.

Wabba explained that the congress is also opposed to the planned borrowing of $29 billion  by the federal Government when such huge amount remained unremitted by the multinationals.

He stressed that there was need to recover the $22 billion instead of going ahead to borrow from foreign sources.