The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is set emback on a nationwide strike from next Wednesday over the removal of fuel subsidy and hike in petrol prices across the country.

In a statement on Friday, the NLC asked the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to revert to the previous pump prices of petrol.

The NLC set a deadline of Wednesday for the NNPCL to return to the old price of N194 per litre, or else it would instruct its members nationwide to withdraw their services.

The union directed all its affiliates unions and state councils to commence mobilisation in case the government through the NNPCL refuses to revert to the old pump price of PMS.

Speaking at a press briefing following an extensive National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja, NLC President Joe Ajaero decried NNPCL’s price hike on Wednesday, which increased PMS prices by over 200 percent, reaching between N488 and N557 per litre.

Ajaero announced that, in unanimous agreement among NLC affiliates, unions have been instructed to commence mobilization immediately in preparation for a planned nationwide protest.

He emphasized, “The NLC decided that if by Wednesday next week the NNPCL, a private limited liability company, that illegally announced a price regime in the oil sector, refuses to announce revert itself for negotiation to continue, that the NLC and all its affiliates, will withdraw their services and commence protests nationwide until this is complied with.

“The NNPCL doesn’t have the monopoly to act illegally even as a private company. The NLC NEC therefore directed all state councils and all industrial unions to commence mobilisation from this moment to make sure that this action is enforced. The action has commenced at this moment.”

Ajaero also called for a thorough investigation into the subsidy regime of the past eight years, including the amount spent on subsidies and the beneficiaries of such payments.

He urged the NNPCL to provide transparent details regarding the consumption of petroleum products by Nigerians, including disclosure of subsidy beneficiaries and the landing cost of petroleum products.

“The Nigeria Labour Congress is calling for a thorough probe in the process of subsidy to know those involved and the amount involved. Investigate it properly before it is swept under the carpet.

“The current attempt to sweep the fraudulent practices in the subsidy regime should not be tolerated by all well-meaning Nigerians,” he added.

KanyiDaily recalls that the NNPC had increased its petrol prices across the country after President Bola Tinubu announced the removal of fuel subsidy during his inauguration speech.

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