The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has described the recent hike in the price of petrol as insensitive on the part of the federal government, saying the action will further exacerbate the economic problem and sufferings in the country.
The Deputy President of the NLC, Prof. Theophilus Ndubuaku said the authority’s claim that the price hike is due to the rising crude oil price in the international market is untenable.
The NLC Deputy President, The Punch reports, also blamed the marketers for the price increase, saying their complaints that they took the action due to the rising crude oil price is unacceptable, since they buy finished products, the Punch reports.
Last week, the major petroleum marketers in the country jerked up the price of petrol also known as PMS, to between N1,050 and N1,10 per litre amidst serious complaints from Nigerians.
Recall that Dangote Refinery has earlier announced that it was jerking up the PMS price for marketers loading from its multi-billion refinery in Lagos citing the rise in the price of crude oil.
Reacting to the hike, the federal government said it was not part of the decision to hike the price of petrol, citing the full deregulation of the sector.
Ndubuaka said the government is playing ‘games’ with Nigerians, who are already suffering from the hard economic situation imposed on the country by the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.
He cited the implications of the recent hike to include, the rise in the cost of food, unstable naira, transportation cost, frustration of the citizens wondering why the government has chosen not to dialogue with relevant stakeholders in the country before removing fuel subsidy.
He stressed that the country is being run by President Tinubu like his personal property, urging him to take a clue from former leaders in the country who ensured that major stakeholders were consulted in the decision-making process.
Governments in other countries, he explained, subsidize essential commodities like petrol because of the benefits to the masses.
President Tinubu had announced the removal of petrol subsidy on May 29, 2023 saying the government was broke.
According to the NLC leader, “This pump price hike will not only affect foodstuff and fare. There is the problem of inflation and the value of naira to contend with. Instead, what we are seeing is a situation we call Tinubunomics. It is something that has not been tested.
“When you talk about subsidies, is there a country that doesn’t have it? It’s all over the world. Even most of the goods you see in this country from China are subsidised. You are refusing to subsidise fuel and also refusing to even facilitate the so-called CNG buses. How many years does it take to do something like this?
“If you know the kind of game we (the NLC) and them are playing on this CNG thing. Now, they are not even involving the people in the so-called CNG conversion. If you promise to run an inclusive government, It’s not just you that should be doing the talking. Yet, when somebody talks, they send attack dogs to attack and label him a member of the Obidient movement.”
“Such discussions were held in the Villa. Every month people would be invited and issues would be discussed. We’re not saying you shouldn’t do it. But please, carry people along. Let us know why you want to do these things so people will be prepared.
“But you can’t just keep changing the prices without any regard for us? This is what is causing all this frustration. They are not carrying the masses along. They have virtually made it difficult for the NLC to be involved in anything they are doing. Nigeria is not the personal property of anybody,” he declared.
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