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The body described the renewed plan by the Jonathan administration to hike fuel prices, “as an opportunity cost of selling all the crude oil produced in the country at cheap prices and importing finished petroleum products at exorbitant costs.”
Speaking in Abuja, deputy president of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Kiri Mohammed, said that the remaining part of the so-called subsidy, is to recover the cost of freight, insurance demurrage and port charges, which were incurred by the failure of the government to refine locally.
The NLC further vowed to stage a mass rally in Abuja, over the development, noting that the planned fuel price increase will lead to hyper inflation, impoverish Nigerian masses, force more factories to close down and engender mass unemployment in the country.
He said: “Nigerians have learnt from the so-called deregulation of kerosene and diesel, that the deregulation of petrol would only lead to higher prices, non availability of the commodity and its control by a cabal.
“It may sound outlandish, but despite the serious challenges we are facing in the country, from grinding poverty and unemployment, to serious insecurity; the government of President Goodluck Jonathan is being goaded into increasing a litre of petrol by over 200 percent.
“The Federal Government is making the worn out argument of the need to remove subsidy. This was the same trick played on the Nigerian people by the General Ibrahim Babangida military regime in the 80s under the tragedy called Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP).”
Expressing concern over the state of the nation, Mohammed accused Jonathan’s administration of plotting to impose hike in electricity tariff from between 50 and 100 percent, saying, “it is inconceivable that the tariff of a sector that generally delivers darkness to the populace is to be so increased.”
Mohammed said that if the Federal Government goes ahead with the scam plotted by its International Monetary Fund (IMF) inspired whiz kids and jobbers, the NLC will spearhead mass strikes and protests until the price increases are reversed.
Lamenting the over $16 billion spent by the Olusegun Obasanjo administration without adequate impact on the nation, the NLC noted, “electricity is the basis of modern development,” saying “it should be available and affordable.”
Commenting on the new minimum wage, Mohammed reiterated the labour movement’s commitment towards the effective implementation of the N18,000 minimum wage, directing its members in nine states of the federation, such as Imo, Ekiti, Yobe, Adamawa, Kaduna, Katisna, Ebonyi, Anambra and Enugu states, to embark on indefinite strike until their demands are met.
Mohammed, who also urged states, like Benue, Kano and Plateau, to perfect the ongoing negotiation, berated Governors Rabiu Kwankwanso of Kano State, and Sullivan Chime of Enugu State, for engaging armed thugs to thwart demonstration in their states.
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