Wants Nigerians to know that the backdoor increase in the pump price of petrol is just the beginning of more sinister policies the government has up its sleeve.
Nigerians woke up two days ago to be confronted with yet another arbitrary and unexplained increase in the pump price of petrol in filling stations across the country, with some stations in major cities such as Lagos, Abuja and Portharcourt charging as much as N1,000 per litre – an inflationary development that would only worsen the cost of living crisis that has engulfed the country.
Not surprising, the Nigerian Labour Congress, the country’s apex workers union has reacted to the unsavoury development, condemning it, and demanding that government halts its hostile, anti-people economic policies that are suffocating citizens and strangulating the economy. The NLC said the surreptitious increase in petrol price is a blatant act of betrayal by the government, having being corralled to accept their offer of N70,000 minimum wage against the assurance of the maintenance of the existing price of petrol (N650/L), only to be confronted with the price increase, even when the agreed N70,000 new wage is yet to be implemented. The NLC recalled facing a similar situation with the ever increasing electricity tariffs.
In a statement sign by comrade Joe Ajaero, the NLC president, they condemned the action of government, reminding them that their right-wing, liberalist economic policies, were the very tonic that fermented the #BadGovernance hunger protest of August. Hence, they demand the release of all persons who are being detained in relations to the protest, issued the government seven demands, and promise to meet soon to decide on their next line of action.
The full statement of the congress reads:
WE FEEL BETRAYED
We are filled with a deep sense of betrayal as the federal government clandestinely increases the pump price of pms. One of the reasons for accepting N70,000 as national minimum wage was the understanding that the pump price of pms would not be increased even as we knew that N70,000 was not sufficient.
We recall vividly when Mr President gave us the devil’s alternatives to choose from: either N250,000 as minimum wage (subject to the rise of the pump price between N1,500 and N2,000) and N70,000 (at old pms rates), we opted for the latter because we could not bring ourselves to accept further punishment on Nigerians.
But here we are, barely one month after and with government yet to commence payment of the new national minimum wage, confronted by a reality we cannot explain.
It is both traumatic and nightmarish.
Yet, when we told government that it’s approach to resolving the fuel subsidy contradictions was patently faulty and would not last, it’s front row cheer leaders sneered at us, saying we did not understand basic economics .
But if truth be told, this act of betrayal is consistent with the character of this government. We recall the assurances we were given by the leadership of the National Assembly on the 250% tariff hike, that it had been dealt with and there was no need to openly engage the Minister of Power who was at that meeting.
Instead of the promised reversal, the rate has since been jerked up further putting more Nigerians and businesses in jeopardy.
The combined effects of government’s ferocious right -wing market policies brought Nigerians and Nigeria to their all-time low and led to the End-Hunger/End Bad Governance protests.
Rather than make amends, government arrested and hounded into detention some of those who took part and some of those who had nothing to do with these protests, charging them with criminal conspiracy, subversion, treasonable felony, terrorism financing and cyber crime with an intent to overthrow the government of President Tinubu.
The police and other security agencies have since been on rampage terrorizing the citizenry in pursuance of government’s agenda of muzzling lawful dissent.
In brazen pursuit, they have defamed and libeled not a few individuals.
They have gone as far as appropriating the statutory roles of the Ministry of Labour and Employment in resolving trade dispute matters and issues considered outside the jurisdiction of the security agencies.
That the government is on rampage in the face of stifling conditions of living is an understatement but we promise Nigerians that we at the Nigeria Labour Congress will not be cowed into submission. Together with civil society, we brought about this democracy when some of the actors in power today were conspiring with the military on how to perpetuate their hold on political power.
When the State and the security forces picked on us in a hybrid war, we had our suspicions. We knew they were up to something sinister and needed to distract/divert our attention or possibly frighten or weaken us before they came out with it so that we would not have a robust response.
Now that they chickens have come to roost, we were right in our suspicions. However, we want to let Nigerians know that the clandestine/surreptitious increase in the pump price of pms is the first among the equally sinister policies government has up its sleeve.
On our part, we stand resolute with the people and will neither be distracted nor intimidated by the government or its security agencies.
We insist that government cannot criminalize protests or basic rights in the domain of the citizenry.
Accordingly, we demand the immediate:
1). Reversal of the latest increase in the pump of pms across the country;
2). Release of all those incarcerated or being prosecuted on the assumption of having participated in the recent protests;
3). Halt the indiscriminate arrest and detention of citizens on trumped up charges;
4). Reversal of the 250% tariff hike in electricity;
5). Stop to the hijack of the duties of the Ministry of Labour and Employment;
6). End to policies that engender hunger and insecurity;
7). Halt to government’s culture of terror, fear and lying.
We are guided by our belief in our country and the need to secure and sustain its sovereignty, integrity and welfare of the people.
In the coming days, the appropriate organs of the Congress will be meeting to take appropriate decisions which will be made public.
Comrade Joe Ajaero
President
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