The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has accused President Bola Tinubu of betraying both the labor movement and Nigerians following a recent hike in petrol prices and the ensuing scarcity across the country.
Joe Ajaero, President of the NLC, expressed his discontent on Tuesday, describing the ongoing confusion surrounding the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, as “traumatic and nightmarish.”
Ajaero recalled that during negotiations over a new minimum wage, President Tinubu had presented the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) with two choices: a minimum wage of N250,000 coupled with a petrol price increase, or a wage of N70,000 with the price of petrol remaining stable. The unions opted for the latter to avoid further financial strain on Nigerians.
However, Ajaero criticized the government for failing to honor its commitment, noting that the petrol price has continued to rise, further endangering the welfare of Nigerians and threatening the viability of businesses.
“We vividly remember when Mr. President gave us a devil’s alternative: either N250,000 as a minimum wage, contingent on the pump price rising to between N1,500 and N2,000, or N70,000 at the old petrol rates,” Ajaero stated. “We chose the latter because we couldn’t accept further hardship on Nigerians. Yet, here we are, barely a month later, with no new minimum wage payments and an inexplicable situation that is both traumatic and nightmarish.”
Ajaero also criticized the government’s approach to addressing the fuel subsidy issue, arguing that the current policies were flawed from the start. “When we warned the government that its approach to resolving the fuel subsidy contradictions was fundamentally faulty and unsustainable, we were dismissed as lacking an understanding of basic economics,” he said.
He further alleged that the government’s actions are consistent with its pattern of betrayal. He referenced assurances from the National Assembly leadership regarding a 250% tariff hike, which was supposed to be reversed but instead has been further increased.
“The government has failed to reverse the promised rate increase, leaving Nigerians and businesses in even greater jeopardy,” Ajaero lamented. “The combined impact of the government’s aggressive market policies has driven Nigeria and its citizens to unprecedented levels of hardship, sparking the End-Hunger and End Bad Governance protests.”
The NLC President’s statements underscore the growing frustration among labor unions and citizens as the country grapples with rising costs and economic uncertainty.
