Your administration betrayed Nigerians on fuel price increase, labour congress tells Tinubu

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has declared that the administration of President Bola Tinubu betrayed Nigerians following Tuesday’s increase in the pump price of petrol at Nigerian National Petroleum Company’s fuel stations.

Penpushing reports that the President of the country workforce, Comrade Joe Ajaero, made this known in a statement recalling that one of the reasons for accepting N70,000 as national minimum wage was the understanding that the pump price of petroleum products would not be increased.

“One of the reasons for accepting N70,000 as national minimum wage was the understanding that the pump price of pms would not be increased even as we knew that N70,000 was not sufficient’, Ajaero stated.

Penpushing further reports that the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) felt betrayed with the sudden increment of the pump price from N600 to about N897 per litre, emphasizing that the President, during negotiations for the minimum wage, had given the union two options.

The union leader stated that the options explained that either N250,000 as minimum wage (subject to the rise of pump price between N1,500 and N2,000) and N70,000 (at old pms rate), explaining that the labour chose the latter option only for it to see Tuesday’s increase in petrol price.

Penpushing also reports that as at the time of filing this report the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) could not give reason for the increase, but last Sunday owned up to the company’s significant debt to petrol suppliers.

The statement issued by the Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye added that this financial strain has placed considerable pressure on the company and poses a threat to the sustainability of fuel supply.

Penpushing reports that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) however, gave assurance that the establishment remains dedicated to its role as the supplier of last resort, ensuring national energy security.

‘NNPC Ltd has acknowledged recent reports in national newspapers regarding the company’s significant debt to petrol suppliers. This financial strain has placed considerable pressure on the Company and poses a threat to the sustainability of fuel supply’, Soneye wrote.

Penpushing further reports that the Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, however, declared that no directive was issued to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) to increase petroleum prices.

The Minister in a statement issued by his Special Adviser, Media and Communication, Nnemaka Okafor, emphasized that he did not direct the corporation or any other entity within the sector to manipulate prices.

“The Federal Government has been compelled to address the outright falsehood and malicious claims currently circulating on social media. We categorically condemn these claims as baseless, malicious, and a deliberate attempt to incite public discontent’, he said.

‘We challenge anyone in possession of any evidence-be it written documents, audio, or video recordings-that supports these fabrications to make it public. Such a claim is entirely devoid of truth and should be recognised as an intentional effort to mislead the public’, Lokpobiri said.

Penpushing also reports that he explained that the corporation operates as an independent entity under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), with a fully empowered Board of Directors and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources does not, and will not interfere in Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) internal decisions, including pricing matters.

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