The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has criticized the recent increase in the pump prices of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly referred to as petrol.
The NLC has characterized this decision as the epitome of insensitivity towards the populace.
Senior officials of the NLC communicated this to Ounch on Sunday, as oil marketers denied responsibility for the recent nationwide increase in PMS prices.
It is noteworthy that on Friday, the pump prices of petrol escalated to between N1,050 and N1,150 per litre, following the price increase implemented by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and various depot operators.
Distributors confirmed that PMS prices are likely to continue escalating, as the principal input in fuel production, crude oil, has experienced a recent upward trend.
In response to this situation, the Deputy President of the Nigeria Labour Congress Political Commission, Prof Theophilus Ndubuaku, contended that in a more rational environment, representatives of labor, the organized private sector, and student bodies would have been convened to a roundtable discussion to examine potential courses of action and assess the implications prior to the decision being made.
He said, “This pump price hike will not only affect foodstuff and fare. There is the problem of inflation and the value of naira to contend with. Instead, what we are seeing is a situation we call Tinubunomics. It is something that has not been tested.
“When you talk about subsidies, is there a country that doesn’t have it? It’s all over the world. Even most of the goods you see in this country from China are subsidised. You are refusing to subsidise fuel and also refusing to even facilitate the so-called CNG buses. How many years does it take to do something like this?
“If you know the kind of game we (the NLC) and them are playing on this CNG thing. Now, they are not even involving the people in the so-called CNG conversion. If you promise to run an inclusive government, It’s not just you that should be doing the talking. Yet, when somebody talks, they send attack dogs to attack and label him a member of the Obidient movement.”
Continuing, Ndubuaku emphasised that President Bola Tinubu will do well to borrow the template of former leaders like Olusegun Obasanjo, who he claimed held a monthly roundtable with stakeholders whenever sensitive issues that have a lot to do with workers’ welfare were being discussed.
