The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has accused President Bola Tinubu of betraying the labour movement and Nigerians at large following the recent hike in petrol prices and the scarcity of the product across the country.
NLC President Joe Ajaero, speaking on Tuesday, described the situation as “traumatic and nightmarish,” expressing deep concern over the ongoing confusion surrounding the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol.
Ajaero recalled that during negotiations for a new minimum wage, President Tinubu had presented the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) with a choice: either accept a minimum wage of N250,000 along with an increase in fuel prices, or settle for N70,000 with fuel prices remaining the same. The labour leader criticized the government for not only failing to keep the promise of stabilizing fuel prices but also allowing the rates to rise even further, which he says is putting the livelihoods of Nigerians and businesses at risk.
He said “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.”
