The leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, and the representative of the Federal Government have today scheduled to meet on the plan for petroleum subsidy removal. NLC national president, Joe Ajaero, made this known today while speaking on a Channel TV program, Sunrise Daily today. Ajaero revealed that the meeting has been scheduled for 2:00 pm today. According to him, “Government seems to have shown interest in the discussion. As of last night, they reached out and we have fixed 2 pm today to commence discussions,”
“There, all these other issues will be discussed because you cannot just say ‘no subsidy’ and then, you are not producing and you leave us to the fabrics of the market.”
The Labour leader disclosed that their position as labor has always been clear that if President Tinibu has good intentions for the Nigerian populace, he should provide Nigerians with an alternative.
He explained that the incoming president Tinibu should have asked questions and detailed investigation on the effect of the petroleum subsidy removal and the hardship it will bring upon the populace.
The NLC suggested that rehabilitation of the government's existing refineries across the country and the provision of alternative means of transport for Nigerian workers is one of them.
In his statement, “The pronouncement by Mr. President is as good as law and if in the process we make a law that is not practicable, the same people that made the law can look at it,”
He added, “Does it bring pleasure to us to say subsidy is gone and people start suffering? Is it not part of leadership for us to look at how the suffering of the people can be reduced?”
Although, some independent petroleum marketers have mischievously twisted the “subsidy has come to stay” as pronounced by the president during his inauguration to mean immediate effect, thereby, jerking up the fuel pump price.
However, the presidency has made it clear that the statement of Mr. President did not mean immediate removal of the same as is being peddled.
