ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Tuesday warned President Muhammadu Buhari against removing fuel subsidy through the back door.
The Congress particularly pointed out that the vacillations and flip flops from the Federal Government are not only designed to confuse Nigerians, but to pave the way for the eventual deregulation of petrol prices through the back door.
In a statement issued by its general secretary, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson, the NLC reminded Buhari that the determination of the recommended prices of petroleum products is the responsibility of the Petroleum Products Prices Regulatory Agency (PPPRA).
The statement is entitled ‘We will resist removal of fuel subsidy through the back door.’
“In the past few weeks, we have heard discordant tunes from government officials and chieftains of the ruling APC on what the future portends for the prices of petroleum products and the management of the subsidy scheme. Party chieftains, who (had) supported and encouraged the massive protests against subsidy removal in 2012, are now preaching the inevitability of subsidy removal.
“The Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum (Engr. Ibe Kachikwu) first announced that come next year (2016), the price of petrol will revert to ₦97 per litre, and that subsidy will be phased out. Two days, thereafter, he denied this, and stated that what he said was that the price will operate within a band of ₦87 (and) ₦97, and that this did not mean removing the subsidy. The same Minister now says that the price of petrol will now be ₦85 in January, signifying the deregulation of the sector.
“These vacillations and flip flops are, in our view, designed to confuse Nigerians and pave the way for deregulation of petrol prices through the back door. The fact of the matter is that as long as we continue to depend on imported refined products, deregulation and the abandonment of a subsidy scheme will unleash hardship on Nigerians.
“In any case, according to our laws, the determination of the recommended prices of petroleum products is the responsibility of the PPPRA. By law, the board of PPPRA is made up of stakeholders. None of the contradictory prices the Minister is throwing up is a product of the Agency.
[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560”]
“Indeed, the Board of the PPPRA has not operated for over two years. Although we have made repeated demands for the convening of the Board.
“We call on the (Federal) Government to be guided by the rule of law and constitute and convene the board of PPPRA in accordance with the law without further delay. This will enable the Agency to examine and agree a new pricing template based on the realities of today.
“Any price unilaterally determined and announced by the Minister is in violation of the law.
“In the meantime, we wish to restate our opposition, adopted at our Central Working Committee Emergency Meeting of 22nd December, to any attempt by the government to increase the price of or remove subsidy on petrol. We reiterate our directive to our state councils and industrial unions to commence the process of mobilisation prior to a meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) to be convened in the New Year,” the statement read.
NLC Warns Buhari Against Removing Fuel Subsidy
Loading...
