The
Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has described the hike in petrol pump price by
the Federal Government from N86.50 to N145 as cruel, insisting they will resist
the Wednesday proclamation, and summons emergency NEC meeting for Friday, May
13, reports ITRealms.
A press statement issued
late last night by the Nigeria Labour Congress, endorsed by its General
Secretary, Dr Peter Ozo-Eson, and made available to ITRealms, NLC said the unilateral increase in prices of
petroleum products Wednesday by government represents the height of
insensitivity and impunity that must be resisted.
NLC also said that it will
resist the hike alongside all the well-meaning civil society groups, decrying that
with the imposition on the citizenry of criminal and unjustifiable electricity
tariff and resultant darkness and other economic challenges brought on by the
devaluation of the Naira and spiraling inflation, the least one had expected at
this point in time was another policy measure that would further make life more
miserable for the ordinary Nigerian.
As
said by NLC, the latest increase is the most audacious and cruel in the history
of product price increase as It represents not only about 80 per cent increase
but it is tied to the black market exchange rate.
Furthermore,
NLC said, the process through which government arrived at this is both
illogical and illegal as the board of the PPPRA is not duly constituted.
“In our previous statements
and communiques, we had stressed the need for reconstituting the boards of NNPC
and PPPRA and wean both away from the overbearing influence of the Minister of
State for Petroleum Resources who has assumed the role of a sole administrator.
NLC
said, the allusion to the fact that the this increase was arrived at after due
consultation with stake holders is not only ridiculous and fallacious, because it
goes to show that the brief meeting held today during which government was
advised to shelve the idea until at least it meets with the appropriate organs
of the Congress was in bad faith.
Accordingly,
NLC said, they urged the government to revert the prices to what they were, stressing “We would want to put
everybody on notice that we shall resist this criminal increase with every
means legitimate."
Already
an emergency NEC meeting has been scheduled for Friday, May 13, 2016 to decide
on the next line of action. Meanwhile, our affiliates, state councils and civil
society allies are requested to commence mobilization immediately.
Chuks Egbuna/GEE
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