The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Tuesday vowed not to accept the recent increased in the price of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) and electricity tariff in the country.
The president of the congress, Comrade Joe Ajaero, while reacting to directives by the NNPCL introducing a new price of N900 per litters said the increase is traumatic and worrisome.
Comrade Ajaero said: “We are filled with a deep sense of betrayal as the federal government clandestinely increases the pump price of pms. One of the reasons for accepting N70,000 as national minimum wage was the understanding that the pump price of pms would not be increased even as we knew that N70,000 was not sufficient.
“We recall vividly when Mr. President gave us the devil’s alternatives to choose from either N250,000 as minimum wage (subject to the rise of the pump price between N1,500 and N2,000) and N70,000 (at old pms rates). We opted for the latter because we could not bring ourselves to accept further punishment on Nigerians.
“But here we are, barely one month after and with the government yet to commence payment of the new national minimum wage, confronted by a reality we cannot explain.
“It is both traumatic and nightmarish. Yet, when we told the government that its approach to resolving the fuel subsidy contradictions was patently faulty and would not last, its front row cheerleaders sneered at us, saying we did not understand basic economics .
“But if truth be told, this act of betrayal is consistent with the character of this government. We recall the assurances we were given by the leadership of the National Assembly on the 250% tariff hike, that it had been dealt with and there was no need to openly engage the Minister of Power who was at that meeting.”
