Ajaero
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The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has accused President Bola Tinubu of betrayal and deception, following the latest petrol price hike.
Joe Ajaero, President of the labour union, while reacting to the news of the fuel price hike, said Tinubu lied to them when he promised both NLC and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, leadership that the fuel price would not be increased.
He said the president made the promise during the negotiation of minimum wage to decide between N250,000 and increase in price of fuel or accept N70,000 and allow the price of fuel remain the same.
Ajaero lamented that having agreed to the N70000 minimum wage, the President reneged on his promise and further hiked the fuel price, which is already putting more Nigerians and businesses in jeopardy.
“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,” the NLC president said.
“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.
“Instead of the promised reversal, the rate has since been jerked up further putting more Nigerians and businesses in jeopardy. The combined effects of government’s ferocious right-wing market policies brought Nigerians and Nigeria to their all-time low and led to the End-Hunger/EndBadGovernance protests.”
The NLC demanded the immediate reversal of the petrol price hike, release of protesters, halt to indiscriminate arrests, reversal of the 250% tariff hike in electricity, and an end to policies that engender hunger and insecurity.
It also condemned the government’s approach to resolving fuel subsidy contradictions, describing it as “patently faulty.”
The union vowed to stand resolute with the people and not be intimidated by the government or its security agencies.
The statement read:
Now that they chickens have come to roost, we were right in our suspicions. However, we want to let Nigerians know that the clandestine/surreptitious increase in the pump price of pms is the first among the equally sinister policies government has up its sleeve.
On our part, we stand resolute with the people and will neither be distracted nor intimidated by the government or its security agencies.
We insist that government cannot criminalise protests or basic rights in the domain of the citizenry.
Accordingly, we demand the immediate:
1). Reversal of the latest increase in the pump of pms across the country;
2). Release of all those incarcerated or being prosecuted on the assumption of having participated in the recent protests;
3). Halt the indiscriminate arrest and detention of citizens on trumped up charges;
4). Reversal of the 250% tariff hike in electricity;
5). Stop to the hijack of the duties of the Ministry of Labour and Employment;
6). End to policies that engender hunger and insecurity;
7). Halt to government’s culture of terror, fear and lying.
We are guided by our belief in our country and the need to secure and sustain its sovereignty, integrity and welfare of the people.
In the coming days, the appropriate organs of the Congress will be meeting to take appropriate decisions which will be made public.
Comrade Joe Ajaero
President
