The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has spoken out about how upset Nigerian workers are over the crisis in the Middle East. They are asking the federal government to help Nigerians deal with the negative effects of the recent rise in petrol prices.
According to Daily Independent, it emphasized that the government must find a means to lower the cost of living allowance, set up a pay award for workers, give tax breaks, and bring the country’s refineries back to life.
Comrade Joe Ajaero, the president of the NLC, said in a statement yesterday that palliative measures are needed because petrol prices have gone up sharply and are now between N1,170 and N1,300 per liter.
He claimed that the turmoil in the Middle East has made life even harder for Nigerian workers and people, and he warned that the country could face serious civil unrest if action isn’t taken right away.
Ajaero said that the government has put Nigerians at the mercy of unstable global oil prices that are rising because of the worsening situation in the Middle East.
He said that the crisis has shown how weak Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector is, making workers and their families even poorer.
Ajaero said that the statement “Save Nigerians from this Shock: An Urgent Relief has Become Necessary” made him sad because “NLC voices the collective anguish of millions of Nigerian workers who are bearing the brutal cost of a global capitalist crisis they did not create.”The military buildup between the US, Israel, and Iran has sent shockwaves through the world’s oil markets. Because of this, the price of gas in Nigeria has gone through the roof, reaching between N1,170 and N1,300 per liter.
“This is a direct attack on the people of Nigeria. While imperialist rivalries are fought out with bombs and military buildup in other countries, Nigeria’s working class is suffering from poverty and hunger because we haven’t made sure that our public refineries are running.
“This crisis has cruelly shown how weak Nigeria’s downstream oil industry is. It has taken away the idea that local refining alone will protect the country from shocks from around the world. The Dangote Refinery has changed its prices to keep up with changes in the worldwide market, and the people have to pay for it.
This goes against the idea that only producing goods in the country can keep prices stable. “As long as Nigeria relies on a pricing system that is based on the market and changes around the world, and refuses to build up its public refining capacity, the country will be at the mercy of international conflicts and market speculation.”
“The NLC had already warned that sabotaging public refineries could lead to monopolistic control in the downstream sector.” This moment should act as a wake-up call for the people in charge of Nigeria’s economy. “No country becomes economically independent by sending jobs overseas and bringing in prices.
The government must stop the public sector from getting worse right away and make sure that the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries are fully repaired and running again. This isn’t a favor; it’s the right of the Nigerian people to protect their country from an economy that is becoming more unfriendly around the world.
The rising costs of petrol (PMS) and diesel (AGO) have made it hard for workers to go about. The cost of living is going up, and food prices are going up as well. Wages are not keeping up. The economy stops when workers can’t afford to get to work. Society is sitting on a keg of explosives when families can’t afford three meals a day.
“The government cannot stop any action that would help the people. Instead of blaming the Middle East conflict for the situation, the state should take strong action to protect its citizens from suffering.
The Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG) says that Nigeria could get an oil windfall of almost N30 trillion from the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East.
The Nigeria Labour Congress is asking for the following urgent actions: an immediate wage increase and cost-of-living allowance (COLA) for all workers to help with the rising cost of living; an expansion and overhaul of the cash transfer program to make sure it is open and that help goes to the most vulnerable citizens, with transfers adjusted for inflation. “We want workers to have immediate tax breaks, such stopping levies that hurt low-income workers and taxing the informal sector. Taxing people who make the minimum wage is like stealing from them.
The NLC also wants a clear schedule for when all public refineries will be fully operating. The Nigerian government needs to be held responsible for the billions of naira spent on turnaround maintenance.
“Nigerian workers are being made poor and are going through a lot of pain. Workers aren’t just numbers; they’re what makes the country run. The whole car crashes when the engine becomes too hot.
“The N30 trillion oil bonanza that is predicted from the Middle East issue should not go away like other windfalls have. These riches should be put into the Nigerian people and used to help them deal with the economic problems produced by the current situation.
“The administration must have honest conversations with Nigerian workers and the general public. It’s not okay to use the Middle East problem as an excuse to make policies that make people poorer. The main job of the government is to keep its people safe and happy. We want something to be done. We want justice. “We demand to live.”
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