Fuel Price Hike: NLC plans protest rallies January 27 nationwide

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has resolved to embark on a nationwide protest on 27th January 2021, to express its rejection and resistance to the proposed plans by the Federal Government to increase the pump price of petrol by next year.

Congress however added that should the proposed price take effect before the date scheduled for the protest, Congress would immediately mobilise members to shut down services without delay.

This was contained in a communiqué signed by President and General Secretary of the NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, and Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja, issued at the end of its Central Working Committee (CWC)/National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on Friday in Abuja.

According to the leadership of the Congress, any further increase in petrol would “expose Nigerian workers and the generality of the citizenry to acute deprivation, hardship and suffering as it would worsen the already established trend of hyper-inflation in the country.

“That the genesis of the crisis in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sub-sector especially as it relates to the petrol pump price regime could be linked to a Policy of Importation Based Pricing Template for Refined Petroleum Products as against Local Production Based Pricing Template.

“That as long as the pricing of refined petroleum products is based on Importation Pricing Template which is heavily dependent on a volatile foreign exchange rate heavily skewed against the Naira, the price of petrol and other refined petroleum products will continue to rise beyond the reach of average Nigerian workers and citizens; and

“That the foregoing informed the traditional position of the Congress to reject incessant increase in the pump price of petrol which is usually disguised as deregulation or removal of fuel subsidy. The NEC, therefore, condemned plans by the Federal Government to increase the pump price of petrol.

“The NEC, therefore, resolved to reject and resist the planned increase in the pump price of petrol by the Federal Government as it described it as extremely insensitive to the acute hardship being experienced by Nigerian workers and people; that Government should promote local capacity to refine petroleum products for domestic use.

“Pursuant to its rejection and resistance of further increase in the price of petrol, to organize Protest Rallies in all the 36 States of the Federation on 27th January 2022 which would culminate in the submission of protest letters to all the 36 State Governors. Subsequently, a National Protest will take place on 1st February 2022 in Abuja; and

“In case government decides to announce new petrol prices before the proposed protests, the protest will kick off instantly and without any other further notice in every state of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory,” NLC said.

Raising concerns over the soaring inflation of basic commodities and services, the NEC advised government to adopt effective economic policies to halt the inflationary trend as it presents additional pressure on the lean income of Nigerian workers and other citizens and has made life terribly unbearable for the poor masses of our country.

Meanwhile, less than 48 hours to the deadline for President Muhammadu Buhari to sign or not to sign the 2021 Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has urged the President to give heed to the demands of the citizenry for an electoral reform and sign the Bill into law.

(New Telegraph)