Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has expressed its disappointment and sense of betrayal over the federal government’s decision to increase the price of petrol without prior notice.
Gatekeepers News reports that the NLC president, Joe Ajaero, stated that the labour union accepted the N70,000 minimum wage in July based on the government’s promise not to increase the petrol price.
“We are filled with a deep sense of betrayal as the federal government clandestinely increases the pump price of PMS,” Ajaero said. “One of the reasons for accepting N70,000 as the 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.”
Ajaero demanded that the government reverse the pump price of petrol across the country and retract the 250 percent tariff hike in electricity. He also called for the release of all those incarcerated or being prosecuted for participating in recent protests and an end to policies that engender hunger and insecurity.
The NLC president emphasized that the labour congress will not be intimidated by the government or its security agencies and will stand resolute with the people. “We insist that the government cannot criminalise protests or basic rights in the domain of the citizenry,” Ajaero said.
