Jan 27: NLC plans nationwide protest against planned hike in petrol price

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has condemned the plans by the Federal Government to increase the pump price of petrol in 2022.

NLC described the plan increment as extremely insensitive to the acute hardship being experienced by Nigerian workers and people.

Consequently, NLC has vowed to hold nationwide protest rallies against the planned increase in the price of petrol in all the 36 States of the Federation on 27th January 2022.

The rallies, NLC said, would culminate in the submission of protest letters to all the 36 State Governors.

Also, a National Protest will take place on 1st February 2022 in Abuja.

In the communique issued after the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Friday in Abuja, NLC said in case government decides to announce new petrol prices before the proposed protests, the protest will kick off instantly and without any other further notice in every state of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

The organized labour advised government to promote local capacity to refine petroleum products for domestic use.

The Labour believed that an increase in the pump price of the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) by government will expose Nigerian workers and the generality of the citizenry to acute deprivation, hardship and suffering.

It said this would worsen the already established trend of hyper-inflation in the country.

NLC noted that as long as the pricing of refined petroleum products is based on Importation Pricing Template which is heavily dependent on a volatile foreign exchange rate heavily skewed against the Naira, the price of petrol and other refined petroleum products will continue to rise beyond the reach of average Nigerian workers and citizens.

The NLC also decried the trend of hyper-inflation in the prices of basic goods and services, especially essential commodities including cooking gas and building materials such as cement.

It resolved that government should adopt effective economic policies to halt the inflationary trend as it presents additional pressure on the lean income of Nigerian workers and other citizens and has made life terribly unbearable for the poor masses of our country.

On insecurity, it urged the Federal Government to adopt a multi-stakeholder approach and innovative non-kinetic intervention model towards a achieving a sustainable solution to the crises of insecurity in Nigeria.

It also rejected the concession of Nigeria’s four major airports and the privatization of prime national assets including the Transmission Company of Nigeria and other assets billed through legislative actions for privatization.

On Electoral Reform, the NEC called on President Muhammadu Buhari to pass the 2021 Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law particularly given that he has less than two days to sign the bill into law.