The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has criticized Bola Tinubu over the steep increase in petrol prices, accusing him of betrayal.
On Tuesday, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) announced a petrol price increase, raising the pump price from N568 to between N855 and N897.
In response, NLC President Joe Ajaero expressed shock over the petrol price hike, especially given the current economic difficulties.
Ajaero noted that this increase contradicts the agreement made with President Tinubu’s government regarding the national minimum wage, describing the price hike as traumatic and a nightmare.
He specifically recalled that during negotiations for a minimum wage of N250,000, there was an agreement with Tinubu’s government to keep fuel prices stable.
“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.
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“Yet, when we told government that its approach to resolving the fuel subsidy contradictions was patently faulty and would not last, its front-row cheerleaders sneered at us, saying we did not understand basic economics,” said Mr Ajaero.
The NLC president berated Mr Tinubu’s government for “consistent betrayal”, recalling that the National Assembly also assured labour unions of reversing the 250 per cent electricity tariff hike.
“But if truth be told, this act of betrayal is consistent with the character of this government,” said Mr Ajaero. “We recall the assurances we were given by the leadership of the National Assembly on the 250 per cent 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.”
He added, “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.”
On Tuesday, many commuters were left stranded in major cities across the country due to the sudden spike in fuel prices, which also led to an increase in transport fares.
This new development occurred amid ongoing fuel shortages in the country, adding to the hardships Nigerians are already facing, including rising prices of essential food items.
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