The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has accused President Bola Tinubu of betraying both the labor movement and the Nigerian public by implementing a fresh hike in petrol prices and allowing fuel scarcity to persist across the country,Daily Trust reports.
NLC President Joe Ajaero made this statement on Tuesday, responding to the ongoing confusion over the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, which he described as a “traumatic and nightmarish” situation.
Ajaero recalled that during negotiations over the minimum wage, Tinubu presented the NLC and TUC leadership with two options: either accept a minimum wage of N250,000 alongside a significant increase in fuel prices or opt for N70,000 with fuel prices remaining unchanged.
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Ajaero criticized the government for failing to deliver on its promises, noting that instead of reversing the hike, the petrol price has been increased even further, putting more Nigerians and businesses at risk.
He said, “We vividly recall when Mr. President gave us the devil’s alternatives: either N250,000 as minimum wage, which would result in the pump price rising to between N1,500 and N2,000, or N70,000 with the old PMS rates. We chose the latter because we could not justify further burdening Nigerians.
“But here we are, barely a month later, with the government yet to begin paying the new national minimum wage, facing a reality that is both traumatic and nightmarish.
“Yet, when we warned the government that its approach to resolving the fuel subsidy issues was fundamentally flawed and unsustainable, its supporters dismissed our concerns, claiming we lacked an understanding of basic economics.
“But in truth, this act of betrayal aligns with the character of this government. We recall the assurances we received from the National Assembly leadership regarding the 250% tariff hike, where we were told it had been addressed, and there was no need to engage the Minister of Power publicly.
“Instead of the promised reversal, the rate has been further increased, putting more Nigerians and businesses in jeopardy. The combined impact of the government’s aggressive market policies has brought Nigerians to an all-time low, leading to the End-Hunger/End Bad Governance protests.”
