A coalition of Civil Society Organisations has knocked the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress over planned strike action due to fuel subsidy removal.
The groups disclosed this on Monday in a statement by Israel Uwejeyan, National Coordinator Niger Delta Youth Congress NDYC; Raymond Oporomo, National President of South-south Movement for Good Governance; Efemena Esamagu President Urhobo Progressive Vanguard and Twelve other groups.
It stated that the NLC should stop deceiving the public on matters of critical importance.
The groups urged Nigerians to reject attempts by NLC to drag them into shutting down the economy with strike action.
It noted that Nigerians should hold Independent Oil Marketers responsible for arbitrarily increasing the petrol price after the fuel subsidy removal announcement by President Ahmed Bola Tinubu.
The groups added that Tinubu’s government should comprehensively review the fuel price template provided by the National Nigerian Petroleum Corporation Limited.
“We have keenly observed that on numerous occasions, the NLC has deceived the public by creating an illusion of safeguarding their welfare, only to betray their trust by engaging in backdoor negotiations with the government, ultimately disregarding the plight of the suffering masses. We emphatically caution the NLC that it can no longer deceive anyone after having stripped itself of credibility, public trust, and confidence.
“We urge Nigerians to be vigilant and reject the NLC’s attempts to drag them into a situation with uncertain outcomes. We encourage our compatriots not to fall for the gimmicks employed by the NLC, who seem to be taking advantage of the suffering of the masses for their selfish negotiations.
“The NLC must first and foremost provide a comprehensive explanation regarding its absence during the preparation, presentation, defence, and budget passage by the former President Muhammadu Buhari’s government and the 9th National Assembly, which did not include subsidy provisions. It is disheartening to witness opportunistic actions being taken by the NLC only when it suits their agenda rather than consistently advocating for the welfare of Nigerians.
“We call on Nigerians to hold independent oil marketers accountable for the drastic deterioration of petroleum prices; we vehemently condemn these acts of extortion by the independent marketers who hiked pump prices as soon as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced the subsidy removal to sabotage the sincere efforts of the government. This inhumane act of wickedness and greed demonstrates a lack of regard for the Nigerian people’s already burdensome living conditions.
“Moreover, we are aware that removing fuel subsidies has placed an additional financial burden on the Nigerian populace, particularly the most vulnerable segments of society. The sudden increase in fuel prices has had a ripple effect on the cost of transportation, food, and other essential commodities, further exacerbating the hardships faced by the people; therefore, we urge the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to review the fuel price template provided by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited critically. By reducing the fuel price template, the government will lessen the financial burden on the masses.
“We implore President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to proffer a comprehensive and sustainable plan to revamp and rehabilitate the existing refineries within the coming months. This measure will reduce our dependence on imported petroleum products, create job opportunities, foster local content development, and ultimately contribute to our nation’s economic growth and development”, the statement contained.
On Wednesday last week, NNPCL announced a new fuel price template shooting up the cost of the products nationwide from N197 per litre to over N500.
Against the backdrop of the increment of pump price NLC, TUC vowed to embark on a warning strike.