NLC threatens showdown if new fuel price is not reversed

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has expressed its displeasure over the newly announced fuel pump price of N145 per litre, demanding the immediate reversal of the increase.

The secretary-general of the union, Peter Ozo-Eson, described the increase as the “most cruel in history”, threatening a showdown if the decision is not rescinded.

Ozo-Eson said that at a meeting of stakeholders, where the decision was finalised, labour advised that the idea be suspended “until, at least, it meets with the appropriate organs of the congress”.

“We urge the government to revert the prices to what they were. We would want to put everybody on notice that we shall resist this criminal increase with every means legitimate,” he said in a statement.

“The unilateral increase in prices of petroleum products today by government represents the height of insensitivity and impunity and shall be resisted by the NLC and its civil society allies.

“The unjustifiable electricity tariff and other economic challenges brought on by the devaluation of the naira and inflation, the least one had expected was another policy measure that would make life miserable for the ordinary Nigerian.

“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, the process through which government arrived at this is both illogical and illegal as the board of the PPPRA is not duly constituted.”

According to the statement, the NLC, through its previous statements and communiqués, had stressed the need for the reconstitution of the boards of NNPC and PPPRA.

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Ozo-Eson accused the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, of being overbearing and acting as a sole administrator.

He said the union would meet on Friday, May 13, to discuss the next line of action.