Despite the appeals of governors and lawmakers, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) announced that it will hold its planned demonstration on Wednesday.
The Nigeria Labour Congress confirmed this in a statement issued on Sunday, calling a media report claiming the union would cancel its planned demonstration a “laughable and desperate attempt” to divide the Congress along ethnic and regional lines.
The NLC warned that its members would take to the streets to protest the Tinubu government’s removal of fuel subsidies unless the government returned to the previous petrol pump price.
“On the looming strike action, we want to assure that all the affiliate unions of the Congress stand together with an unshakeable resolve to prosecute, come Wednesday, except the NNPC and Government do the needful,” said spokesperson Benson Upah in a statement.
According to the NLC, its only concern is the criminal increase in petrol pump prices, which is set to raise the average Nigerian’s cost of living.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) confirmed the removal of fuel subsidies last Wednesday when it announced new pump prices for petrol ranging from N488 to N557 for each state in the federation.
“The reality today is that NNPC Limited is a private company that is expected to pay its taxes and royalties. It cannot afford subsidy payment because that has not been provided for in the budget,” Mele Kyari, Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, explained in an interview with NTA Television last week.
The Nigeria Labour Congress called the federal government “incompetent” last week for allowing the fuel subsidy situation to deteriorate to its current state.
“You say subsidy is gone, you don’t care how it affects people and who are we even saving money for?” said its president, Joe Ajaero.
