NLC Faults FG Over Fuel Costs, Rising Inflation and Workers’ Hardship

The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged the Federal Government to abandon what it described as “insensitive policies that have allowed indiscriminate hikes in the price of petroleum products.”

The Congress also criticised the government, saying it cannot continue to demand sacrifices from workers without providing relief to the suffering masses and workers.

The NLC stated this in a communique issued after a joint meeting of its National Executive Council (NEC) and Central Working Committee (CWC). The communique was read to journalists by the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, at Labour House, Abuja.

Daily Trust reports that the Federal Government had earlier announced that Nigerians would buy petrol at lower prices at NNPC filling stations for the next 30 days.

Under the proposed price modulation mechanism, the government is negotiating a N1,350-per-litre ceiling on the ex-gantry or landing cost of petrol, subject to monthly reviews.

The proposed ceiling does not mean petrol will sell for N1,350 per litre at filling stations. Rather, it is intended to prevent sharp changes in global crude oil prices or the exchange rate from immediately translating into corresponding increases in petrol prices

Reacting to the development, the NLC said the exorbitant pump price of petrol had triggered a cascading effect on transportation costs, food prices and other essential goods, further worsening the hardship faced by workers and the masses.

“The joint meeting reiterates its call on the federal government to work with relevant agencies to immediately reduce the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol.

“The government must abandon its insensitive policies that have allowed for indiscriminate hikes in the price of petroleum products which has only served to enrich a handful of oil marketers while pauperising the masses,” Ajaero said.

The labour leader disclosed that the joint meeting expressed profound alarm over the deepening misery inflicted on the Nigerian working class and the broader masses by what it described as the “neo-liberal policies of the federal government and its state institutions.”

The NLC President added, “Inflation continues to soar unabated, the naira remains traumatised, wages have been rendered worthless, and the cost of living has become unbearable.

“The ruling elite, acting as enforcers of global monopoly capital, have demonstrated a worrying indifference to the suffering of the people, choosing instead to transfer the burden of their fiscal negligence onto the already impoverished working masses thus abandoning the people to the dictates of comprador fat cats.”
(Daily Trust)