Fuel: Labour Union Seeks Pump Price Reduction To N500

By Ayodele Oni 

The National leadership of Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council, (JNPSNC), has demanded from Federal Government fresh palliatives for workers to cushion effect of fuel price increase.

The request wss contained in a letter, written to President Bola Tinubu on the need to urgently approve wage awards and upward review of salaries and allowances due to the effects of the ever increasing fuel prices in the country.

The labour leaders stated that they cannot continue to keep silent with the level of hardship being faced by workers.

The letter was signed by Comrade Gbenga Olowoyo, National Secretary,

Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC), Trade Union Side.

Part of the letter reads: “It has dawned on the Nigerian workers that provision of palliatives such as bags of rice, indomie, vegetable oil, gaari among other edible foods are as good as weaponising Nigerians with poverty.

“This is because it is a phyrric intervention which is unsustainable, unaccessible to majority of Nigerians population and also it is limited to political cronies.

“Consequent upon the above, it is preferable that the Federal Government should provide intervention that will trickle down to all Nigerians by making fuel available with affordable amount as low as (N500) five hundred Naira, at the amount the fuel was been sold when subsidy was first removed in the year 2023.”

According to the labour union, “The Federal Government should look inward and stabilize the prices of fuel to an affordable minimum, being an essential commodity that determines the performances of both macro and micro Nigeria economy.

“As a matter of reality, the current hardship being faced by the hapless Nigerian workers is caused by the astronomical increase in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to as much as N1, 430.00, or more per one litre (this is a killing amount).

“The continued increase in fuel prices unabated has had multiplier effects in all facets of life, hence, Federal government should provide an intervention fund to stakeholders in the oil sector in order to stabilize the fuel price to a benchmark and thereafter reduce the prices of fuel to (N500) five hundred Naira that will be affordable by average Nigerians.

“Federal Government may wish to use any name to describe the intervention fund, if “fuel subsidy” is a forbidden language to the Federal Government as well as, those in the oil and gas parlance

“The fuel intervention fund, will give the opportunity to every Nigerian to benefit from the intervention fund because it will have multiplier effect in the life of every Nigerian and will naturally trickle down to the downtrodden and all the remotest parts of the country.

“As part of practical efforts at ensuring that there is stability in the fuel prices on the strength of the above, the National leadership of Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council Trade Union Side wishes to stand on the side of the Nigeria Labour Congress on the statement duly signed by the National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Comrade Joe Ajaero.”