The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has accused President Bola Tinubu of betrayal and lying to them and by extension all Nigerians following the latest increase in petrol price.
According to Joe Ajaero, President of NLC, while reacting to the news of the fuel price hike, President Tinubu had promised both NLC and 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 said instead of the President to abide by his promise having agreed to the N70000 minimum wage, he jacked up the fuel price further 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.
“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,” he said.
He spoke further: “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/End Bad Governance protests.”
