By 2pm today, Federal Government representatives are scheduled to meet with the Nigeria Labour Congress to discuss the proposed removal of the fuel subsidy.
The revelation was revealed during an interview with networks television on Wednesday morning by the NLC National President, Joe Ajaero.
He claimed that even though President Bola Tinubu has the best of intentions, alternatives must be offered.
He claimed that the President ought to have inquired about the effects of the reduction of fuel subsidies on Nigerians on the streets.
The NLC boss listed the alternatives to include the repair of the nation’s four refineries, provision of transportation of alternatives for the Nigerian workers, amongst others.
“The pronouncement by Mr President is as good as law and if in the process we make a law that is not practicable, the same people that made the law can look at it,” Ajaero said while calling for a review of the President’s pronouncement.
“Does it bring pleasure to us to say subsidy is gone and people start suffering? Is it not part of leadership for us to look at how the suffering of the people can be reduced?” he asked.
WITHIN NIGERIA recalls that Tinubu while giving his inaugural speech on Monday, May 29,2023 unexpectedly declared, “Subsidy is gone”.
Though the president’s image makers in statements issued by the state house insisted that the new president was misquoted by some sections of the media.
Tinubu’s declaration led to an increase in panic buying with some filling stations across the country pegging the pump price of the Premium Motor Spirit to as high as N600 per litre.
The organized labour comprising of Trade Union Congress and the Nigeria Labour Congress described the move by Tinubu as a “joke taken too far”.
It is expected that Today’s meeting will provide a lasting solution to the situation on ground.
Already, the Nigerian National Population Company Limited noted that the country was spending over N400bn monthly on subsidy. Industry experts have said the model was not sustainable in the long run.
The subsidy on fuel when removed, will be channeled into the development of other sectors, President Tinubu said on Monday.