NLC to Senate: Don’t increase Nigerian’s hardship

The Federal Government may have to contend with a lot of opposition from the Labour movement and organised private sector, if it endorses the recent proposal for an increase in the price of petroleum products in the country.

The proposed increase, which came from the upper chamber of the National Assembly, elicited negative reactions at the weekend as the Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC ), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) rose against the move.

The three groups were unanimous in saying that given the poor state of the Nigerian economy and the hardship it had inflicted on the citizens, any increase in the price of petrol and diesel at this time would be vehemently resisted.

The Senate had last week, passed a bill which recommended a fuel levy of N5 chargeable per litre on any volume of petrol and diesel products in Nigeria to fund roads projects and maintenance in the country.

According to the report, other sources of revenue for the Road Fund include: International Vehicle Transit Charges, and Road Funds Surcharge of 0.5per cent taxed on the assessed value of any vehicle imported into the country among others.

The bill is one of the 11 high priority economic recovery bills recommended to the National Assembly for passage by the National Assembly Business Environment Roundtable (NASSBER).

In a swift reaction, the NLC described the proposed fuel price increase as a mark of insensitivity to the plight of Nigerians and warned that it would resist any attempt by the government to bring the proposal to fruition.

Secretary General of NLC, Comrade Peter Ozo-Eson, noted that the central labour union and it’s affiliate bodies would engage the necessary proceses to ensure the proposed bill didn’t scale through to become law.

“We will resist this, Nigerians are already bearing an unusual burden.

Any attempt to further increase the price of fuel will be unacceptable to us.

“We believe that the Senate has not taken a final position on the matter because we know the processes involved. We will engage the necessary processes and oppose the adjustment together with others and we hope we can, but if it all persists, we will take the appropriate measures at the right time,” he said.

On its own part, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has called on the presidency to prevail on the Senate to desist from inflicting further hardship on the citizenry.

In a statement signed by its President, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama, and the Secretary General, Comrade Musa-Lawal Ozigi, the union condemned the Senate for its lack of direction on addressing issues that were affecting the common man on daily basis.

“The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria wishes to warn the Senate against further plans to impoverish Nigerians with the recent move to hike the prices of fuel, diesel, and even factor in other assorted charges and surcharges to fund the Proposed National Roads Fund.

“The Congress is also against the proposed sale or reduction of the nation’s stakes in some oil and gas assets. We are surprised that Nigerian lawmakers and other political office holders have become numb to our pains, agonies and miseries. This is painful.

“For over two years now, the organised labour has called for a wage increase without any reasonable step taken. What we earn when a bag of rice was N8,000 is still our take home now that a bag of rice is N20,000.

How do we survive? “Nigeria is always broke when workers talk about improved welfare; but rich enough to meet the needs of the greedy politicians. Politicians are never in tune with the realities on ground because of their unchecked material acquisitive instinct.

“They close their eyes to the increasing number of suicides cases and domestic violence in homes caused by pressure and poverty.

They seem not to be perturbed by the spate of armed robbery and the unbridled ritual killings by a group called Badoo in Ikorodu, a Lagos suburb. It is shameful that all our leaders can think about this time of all times is FUEL HIKE!