The controversial fuel subsidy removal plans of the federal government, according to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), would be a clear invitation for social and economic disaster in Nigeria.
In order to lessen the projected hardships that would result from the ultimate elimination of the fuel subsidy, the outgoing administration under President Muhammadu Buhari announced the granting of a N5,000 palliative to needy individuals in June.
The NLC added that if the government moves forward with the removal, there will be a rise in poverty among the populace and that the Bola Tinubu administration must exercise caution when it comes to the subsidy policy in order to avoid further complicating matters for the country.
The chairman of the labour union in Ekiti, Kolapo Olatunde who spoke while addressing newsmen on Wednesday in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital ahead of this year’s May Day celebration with the theme, ‘ Workers Right and Social, Economic Justice ‘ alongside his counterpart in the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Sola Adigun, noted that the labour leaders would not accept the removal without government doing the right thing by ensuring the optimal functionality of the nation’s refineries.
According to him, if the government insists on the removal, the workers would only accept an increase of the minimum wage to at least N100,000 across the country, saying that ripple effect of the subsidy removal would be devastating for the citizens especially workers.
Olatunde disclosed that removal of subsidy which will result in selling of petrol for as high as N500 per litre would have immediate impact on the prices of goods and services in the country, thereby increasing the disturbing trend of poverty level and economic challenges in the country.
He said, “Let me say here for the umpteenth time that if the next government removes fuel subsidy, that will be open invitation to poverty and social crisis in the nation because many citizens won’t be able to survive the negative effect.
“The multiplier effect will be devastating to the masses in the area of increase in prices of goods and services when a litre will be sold for N500 or more per litre.
“If they should go ahead with the removal, we will have no option than to demand immediate increase of our minimum wage from what we have now to at least N100,000 for us to cope with the situation.”
On how government could handle the situation better, the NLC chairman said, ” the best way out is to go back to our refineries and upgrade them to function well or possibly build new ones, that is the best decision for us survive this problem in our hand”.
Speaking on the significance of this year’s workers’ celebration, he added that the event would be used to further demand the social and economic rights of workers towards ensuring justice in society.
On his part, the TUC chairman Sola Adigun said organized labour unions in the country have given conditional approval for subsidy removal which includes putting in place the nation’s modular refinery, adding that, ” without internal production of oil , our economy will be going down”.