The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called for reversal of the new price increase in pump price of petrol across the country with immediate effect.
The Nigerian workers’ made the call in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja by its President, Mr Joe Ajaero and made available to newsmen.
The Nigerian Petroleum Corporation Ltd (NNPCL) on Tuesday morning, had reportedly ordered increase in its pump price of between N568 – N617 per litre to N855 – N897 per litre, depending on the area.
Although, the company had denied issuing the directive, checks at NNPCL retail stations in Abuja reflected the new price of N897 per litre
In reaction, the NLC president said the increase was a betrayal of its trust in government which has always promised better living conditions for workers.
He recalled that one of the reasons for Labour’s acceptance of N70,000 as national minimum wage was owing to the agreement that the pump price of petrol would not be increased because the N70,000 is not enough.
“We opted for N70,000 because we could not bring ourselves to accept further punishment on Nigerians.
But here we are, barely one month after and with government yet to commence payment of the new national minimum wage, confronted by a reality we cannot explain. It is both traumatic and nightmarish,” Ajaero said.
“Yet, when we told government that its approach to resolving the fuel subsidy contradictions was patently faulty and would not last, they did not agree with us,” he said.
Ajaero said in the coming days, the appropriate organs of the Congress would be meeting to make appropriate decisions which would be made public.
Kindly share this report
