NLC calls for instant reversal of fuel hike
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has kicked against the recent increase in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as petrol.
To this effect, the Congress has called on the Nigerian government to reverse the hike immediately.
The call was delivered in a statement signed by NLC President, Joe Ajaero, on Wednesday.
The union also slammed the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPC) for the recent hike.
“Even following the logic of market forces, we find it an aberration that a private company (NNPCL) is the one fixing prices and projecting itself as a hegemonic monopoly.”
“We challenge the government to go to the drawing board and present us with a blueprint for inclusive economic growth and national development instead of this spasmodic ad hocism and palliative policy.”
“It needs no stating the fact that the latest wave of increase has grossly altered the calculations of Nigerians once again at a time they were reluctantly coming to terms with their new realities. It will further deepen poverty as production capacities dip and more jobs are lost with multidimensional negative effects.
“In light of this, we urge the government to immediately reverse this rate hike as previous increases did not produce any good results. People only got poorer. But more fundamentally, the government should be bold enough to tell Nigerians in advance the destination it wants to take the country,” the statement read.
The pump price of petrol has now officially moved from N897 per litre to over N1000 in NNPC stations nationwide.
The hike has led to a high cost of transportation fares, with many fearing that it could also have a negative impact on the cost of food in the country.
