Nigeria Labour Congress members and federal government representatives are scheduled to meet at 2 p.m. today to discuss the upcoming elimination of fuel subsidies.
freshvoicenewsmedia.com.ng reports that during an interview with networks television on Wednesday morning, the NLC National President, Joe Ajaero, disclosed the information.
He claimed that despite President Bola Tinubu’s good intentions, alternatives must be offered. This was Labour’s attitude.
According to him, the President ought to have inquired into and learned how the elimination of fuel subsidies will affect Nigerians on the streets.
The NLC boss listed the alternatives to include the repair of the nation’s four refineries, provision of transportation of alternatives for the Nigerian workers, amongst others.
“The pronouncement by Mr President is as good as law and if in the process we make a law that is not practicable, the same people that made the law can look at it,” Ajaero said while calling for a review of the President’s pronouncement.
“Does it bring pleasure to us to say subsidy is gone and people start suffering? Is it not part of leadership for us to look at how the suffering of the people can be reduced?” he asked.
Recall that Tinubu while giving his inaugural speech on Monday, May 29,2023 unexpectedly declared, “Subsidy is gone”.
Though the president’s image makers in statements issued by the state house insisted that the new president was misquoted by some sections of the media.
Tinubu’s declaration led to an increase in panic buying with some filling stations across the country pegging the pump price of the Premium Motor Spirit to as high as N600 per litre.
The organized labour comprising of Trade Union Congress and the Nigeria Labour Congress described the move by Tinubu as a “joke taken too far”.
It is expected that Today’s meeting will provide a lasting solution to the situation on ground.
Already, the Nigerian National Population Company Limited noted that the country was spending over N400bn monthly on subsidy. Industry experts have said the model was not sustainable in the long run.
The subsidy on fuel when removed, will be channeled into the development of other sectors, President Tinubu said on Monday.
