The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has faulted the federal government
on the hike in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly called
petrol describing it "as an act of insensitivity and impunity".
The NLC in a statement by Dr Peter Ozo-Eson, General Secretary, said;
"The unilateral increase in prices of petroleum products
today(yesterday) by government represents the height of insensitivity
and impunity and shall be resisted by the Nigeria Labour Congress and
its civil society allies.
"With the imposition on the citizenry of criminal and unjustifiable
electricity tariff and resultant darkness and other economic challenges
brought on by the devaluation of the Naira and spiraling inflation, the
least one had expected at this point in time was another policy measure
that would further make life more miserable for the ordinary Nigerian.
"The latest increase is the most audacious and cruel in the history of
product price increase as It represents not only about 80 per cent
increase but it is tied to the black market exchange rate.
"Furthermore, the process through which government arrived at this is
both illogical and illegal as the board of the PPPRA is not duly
constituted. In our previous statements and communiques, we had stressed
the need for reconstituting the boards of NNPC and PPPRA and wean both
away from the overbearing influence of the Minister of State for
Petroleum
"Resources who has assumed the role of a Sole Administrator. The
allusion to the fact that the this increase was arrived at after due
consultation with stake holders is not only ridiculous and fallacious,
it goes to show that the brief meeting held today during which
government was advised to shelve the idea until at least it meets with
the appropriate organs of the Congress was in bad faith.
"Accordingly, we urge the government to revert the prices to what they
were. We would want to put everybody on notice that we shall resist this
criminal increase with every means legitimate.
"Already an emergency NEC meeting has been scheduled for Friday, May 13,
2016 to decide on the next line of action. Meanwhile, our affiliates,
state councils and civil society allies are requested to commence
mobilization immediately."
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