Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has condemned the federal government’s increase in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), describing it as a betrayal of trust.
This development followed reports of fuel being sold above N1,000 at petrol stations across Nigeria from yesterday.
In a statement by NLC President Joe Ajaero, in Abuja, Labour expressed shock and disappointment at the government’s decision, which it claimed was made without prior consultation or notice.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Joe Ajaero, on Tuesday evening, said the action of the federal government was a betrayal.
He said: “We are filled with a deep sense of betrayal as the federal government clandestinely increases the pump price of PMS. One of the reasons for accepting N70,000 as national minimum wage was the understanding that the pump price of PMS would not be increased even as we knew that N70,000 was not sufficient.
“We recall vividly when Mr President gave us the devil’s alternatives to choose from: Either N250,000 as minimum wage (subject to the rise of the pump price between N1,500 and N2,000) and N70,000 (at old PMS rates), we opted for the latter 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.”
He described the ditsy as both traumatic and nightmarish, but said the union was guided by its belief in the country and the need to secure and sustain its sovereignty, integrity and welfare of the people.
“In the coming days, the appropriate organs of the congress will be meeting to take appropriate decisions which will be made public,” he said.
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In addition to this, the NLC also demand immediate reversal of the pump price.
Ajaero said, “We demand the immediate reversal of the latest increase in the pump of PMS across the country, release of all those incarcerated or being prosecuted on the assumption of having participated in the recent protests.
“Halt the indiscriminate arrest and detention of citizens on trumped up charges, reversal of the 250% tariff hike in electricity, stop to the hijack of the duties of the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
“End to policies that engender hunger and insecurity, Halt to government’s culture of terror, fear and lying. We are guided by our belief in our country and the need to secure and sustain its sovereignty, integrity and welfare of the people.”
However, the Minister of State, Petroleum (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, has refuted information circulated on social media, which claimed that he directed the NNPC to inflate petroleum prices to N1,000 above the approved pump price.
“We categorically condemn these claims as baseless, malicious, and a deliberate attempt to incite public discontent. We challenge anyone in possession of any evidence-be it written documents, audio, or video recordings that support these fabrications to make it public. Such a claim is entirely devoid of truth and should be recognised as an intentional effort to mislead the public.
“It must be stressed that NNPC operates as an independent entity under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), with a fully empowered Board of Directors. The Ministry of Petroleum Resources does not, and will not, interfere in the internal decisions of NNPC, including pricing matters.
“Any suggestion otherwise is not only incorrect but also reveals a profound misunderstanding of the deregulated nature of Nigeria’s petroleum sector,” a statement signed by the minister’s spokesperson Nneamaka Okafor, stated.
It advised that the minister cannot, and does not, direct NNPC or any other entity within the sector to manipulate prices.
