The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has put its state councils and affiliate unions on the notice for a showdown with the Federal Government over the impending removal of the fuel subsidy.
The General Secretary of the NLC, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson, in a statement on Tuesday, said that the NLC was determined to fight the surreptitious removal of the fuel subsidy.
He said a meeting of the National Executive Committee of the congress would be convened in January.
He did not give the specific date for the NEC meeting.
The NLC’s scribe wondered why opposition politicians who encouraged the mass action against the former administration to remove the fuel subsidy were now agitating for its removal.
Ozo-Eson argued that the removal of the fuel subsidy without the capacity to refine crude oil for local consumption would unleash hardship on workers and indeed the average Nigerian.
He said the different pump prices for fuel recently announced by the Minister of State for Petroleum, Mr. Ibe Kachikwi, were meant to confuse Nigerians to remove the fuel subsidy.
“In the past few weeks, we have heard discordant tunes from government officials and chieftains of the ruling APC on what the future portends for the prices of petroleum products and the management of the subsidy scheme.
“Party chieftains who supported and encouraged the massive protests against subsidy removal in 2012 are now preaching the inevitability of subsidy removal! The Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum first announced that come next year the price of petrol will revert to ₦97 per litre and that subsidy will be phased out.
“Two days, thereafter, he denied this and stated that what he said was that the price will operate within a band of ₦87 to ₦97 and that this did not mean removing the subsidy. The same minister now says that the price of petrol will now be ₦85 in January signifying the deregulation of the sector.
“These vacillations and flip flops are, in our view, designed to confuse Nigerians and pave the way for deregulation of petrol prices through the back door. The fact of the matter is that as long as we continue to depend on imported refined products, deregulation and the abandonment of a subsidy scheme will unleash hardship on Nigerians. ..
“In the meantime, we wish to restate our opposition, adopted at our Central Working Committee Emergency Meeting of 22nd December, to any attempt by the government to increase the price of or remove subsidy on petrol.
“We reiterate our directive to our State Councils and Industrial Unions to commence the process of mobilisation prior to a meeting of the National Executive Committee to be convened in the New Year.
He said that the fuel pump prices being bandied by the minister were illegal as the board of the Petroleum Products Price Regulatory Agency had not been constituted to perform its role for over two years.
He said that the PPPRA was the only government agency empowered by law to recommend the prices of petroleum products in the country.
He stressed that the prices being thrown up by Kachikwu did not emanate from the PPPRA.
He called on the Federal Government to constitute the board of the PPPRA to empower the agency to determine the pump price in line with current realities. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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APC why is it ok now to remove it and not before?
ReplyDeleteIn 2012, APC people supported operation occupy Nigeria or street protect against jonathan's attempt to remove subsidy. Today they want to remove it and their is calm. This shows Nigeria belong to these people but they belong to God who is righteous. The end will tell. We are watching.
ReplyDeleteShame on any Government that import refined petroleum products while the same administration exports crude oil.
ReplyDeleteWe supported APC with hope to get better Nigeria, what is happening now is worrisome.
NLC has reduced herself to a beer parlour aggregate without any inclination for introspection. NLC has been fighting against removal of subsidy over the years yet it she never won any of the battle. The government always has its way but such a protest succeeded in exposing the fleecing of our resources by the vagabonds in power. Interestingly, NLC never took interest in ensuring prosecution of the subsidy thieves. Why should the oil cabal continue to hold the country to ransom. Are there nothing to learn from withdrawal of subsidy from diesel?
ReplyDeleteIdiots when was Apc formed?
ReplyDeleteIdiots,when was APC formed?
ReplyDeleteCheck the people in Apc and don't abuse others. They know what they are saying
Delete2012 crude oil price was $120 per barrel against $39 in 2015.
ReplyDeleteLooking at the analysis given by Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) which shows N87 per litre. Then, why wasting N200 billion everyday on subsidy.
It is good move by FG to stop wasting money on subsidy bcos it should not exist due to the current global crude oil price.Its existence now is a scam
YES, Nigerian will pay high in 2012. But Now will pay nothing with what we are paying before
Da get it right. Nigerians are not deregulation of the oil economy. What we don't want is buying petrol at higher price of several effects on the larger economy. Since deregulation on diesel and keresone when did yoy buy them at the pre deregulation price even now that prices of petroluem products are its lowest at the international market. Da what we want is : fix repair our refineries we don't have any business buying petrol from oversea what we have in abundant. Let the govt go to serious work on our refineries. There must be something we enjoy as nigerian most especially our God given natural resources. Subsidy problem won't go until we stop buying petrol from outside. Marketers will sell at the price at which they bought the argument that once subsidy is out market forces would detemine and force down prices because of comptetive prices is not correct. Were it so diesel price would have come down thank you
DeleteThere is no reason not even one for pms price increase. It only reveals the cluelessness of the GMB led government on the possible solutions. It seems thesame charm used in the campaign for change is still been used for Nigerians again and again. How will Nigerians subscribe to pms total deregulation which is tantamount to willing to go to the slaughter even without a rope on the neck. Let the saintly government led by GMB not dash the cabal money and do the right thing. Do you cut off the head because of headache. Why deregulation if you can manage the cabals. So Nigerians should pay higher because of some insignificant number of folks some of whom gave you sponsorship. Work and don't inconvenient Nigerians. If you can't do the right please resign honorably. God bless Nigerian and Nigerians
ReplyDeleteI'm so disappointed with the NLC. What is the price of fuel in all parts of the country except Abuja and Lagos? We in the south east and south south do not know anything about fuel subsidy. We buy fuel here between N150 to N200 per litre. So where's the subsidy? The earlier we realize that fuel subsidy is a scan the better for all of us. NLC Should be well guided
ReplyDeleteWhere was NLC when PDP was abusing the workers and Nigeria as whole sharing the wealth of the nation amongst their cabals and embezzling billions like sharing birthday cakes to friends?
ReplyDeleteNLC are a bunch of clueless people. How many protests were they able to make since the hike in fuel price for the past two months which still persists now. Or were you not aware of the hike in the fuel price? This shows that NLC are selfish people who feed fat on the agony and suffering of the common man.
ReplyDeleteWhen the subsidy was there you were enriching yourselves with it after conniving with independent marketers. Because the loophole for your overnight wealth is about to be blocked, you are instigating the minds of Nigerians to fight a false battle with the government.
No body will support your calculated attempt to defraud the masses of their benefits in the disguise of protecting their interest of the common man.
If the government removal of subsidy will stabilise and moderate the selling price of PMS and make it available for everyone, please ignore NLC with their ranting and implement your plan.
LONG LIVE THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.
NLC, Nigerians are wiser now. All you do is fight for your pocket. Leave the masses alone to reason for the best. We've gone through this road before, at the end of the day money changed hands and the battle is lost leaving the masses confused. This time around, let the subsidy be removed and let there be a regime of competitive price of pump price.
ReplyDeleteI think NLC should wait and try to consider the over-all effect of subsidy removal...I will advise, they should give conditions to the FG,,,Like there should not be scarcity of fuel or increase in its price.
ReplyDelete