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From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called for an immediate reversal of the recent increase in petrol pump prices, citing the adverse effects on citizens and the economy.
Yesterday, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), increased the pump price of fuel from N897 to N1,030 per litre in Abuja and from N885 to N998 in Lagos.
Reacting, Joe Ajaero, President of the NLC in a statement, expressed deep dismay over the government’s continuous trend of raising fuel prices without providing adequate support or relief measures for the populace.
Ajaero criticised the role of the NNPCL in setting fuel prices, describing it as a monopolistic practice that undermines market fairness.
He stressed the need for the government to formulate a comprehensive economic growth strategy that is focused on inclusive national development rather than ad hoc responses.
The labour leader warned that the latest price hike would worsen poverty levels, hinder production capacity and lead to further job losses, compounding the existing economic challenges faced by Nigerians.
“We challenge the government to go to the drawing board and present us with a blueprint for an inclusive economic growth and national development instead of this spasmodic ad hocism and palliative policy. It needs no stating the fact that the latest wave of increase has grossly altered the calculations of Nigerians once again at a time they are reluctantly coming to terms with their new realities.
“It will further deepen poverty as production capacities dip, more jobs loss with multidimensional negative effects.
“In light of this, we urge the government to immediately reverse this price hike as previous increases did not produce any good result. People only got poorer,” he said.
Ajaero further called for transparency from the government regarding its economic direction, insisting that citizens deserve to know the plans for the country’s future.
“But more fundamentally, the government should be bold enough to tell Nigerians in advance the destination it wants to take the country,” the statement added.
