The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has accused President Bola Tinubu of betraying the labour movement and the entire Nigerian populace following the sudden increase in Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), better known as petrol or fuel.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero who expressed the union’s disappointment in a statement issued on Tuesday described the current fuel situation as “traumatic and nightmarish.”
Ajaero revealed that during the recent negotiations on the minimum wage, President Tinubu presented the labour leadership with what he termed “devil’s alternatives”; accepting a N250,000 minimum wage in exchange for a potential increase in fuel prices up to N1,500 or N2,000 per litre, or settling for a N70,000 wage with the assurance that fuel prices would remain stable.
According to Ajaero, the NLC chose the latter option to avoid further financial strain on Nigerians.
However, the recent developments have left the labour body feeling betrayed, as the government has not only failed to uphold the promised price stability but has also increased the fuel prices further, exacerbating the economic challenges faced by Nigerians.
“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,” Ajaero stated.
The NLC President further criticized the government’s approach to resolving the fuel subsidy issue, arguing that their strategy was flawed from the outset.
He pointed out that the assurances given by the leadership of the National Assembly regarding the 250% tariff hike have proven to be empty promises, further deepening the sense of betrayal felt by the labour movement and Nigerians at large.
As the fuel crisis continues, the NLC has warned that the situation is placing immense pressure on both individuals and businesses, creating an increasingly precarious economic environment.
