Fuel subsidy: Labour threatens to mobilise workers against Tinubu govt

The Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress have given conditional support for the removal of fuel subsidy.

The two labour bodies said that they would only allow the removal of fuel subsidy if the incoming administration of Bola Tinubu takes steps towards the repair and revitalisation of government refineries across the country and allow modular refineries.

Failure to do this, they said they would oppose the subsidy removal and mobilise workers to protest against the decision.

The administration of President Muhammadu Buhari had stated that the subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, would be removed before the end of its tenure on May 29, 2023.
The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, later explained that the subsidy removal was delayed by the 2023 general election and the planned population census.

The Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clement Agba, had, after the Federal Executive Council meeting held on March 15, said no conclusion had been reached on how to lessen the likely impacts of the proposed petrol subsidy removal on the citizens.

He said although a committee headed by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo had been working for about a year, nothing definite had been agreed upon.
One of the principal officers of the NLC and President of the National Union of Local Government Employees, Hakeem Ambali, said the union remained opposed to the removal of fuel subsidy.

Ambali, who is the national treasurer of the NLC, stated this in an interview with our correspondent in Abuja.

“We are opposed to the removal of fuel subsidy until the Nigerian government acts responsibly by fixing our moribund refineries,” he stated.

Ambali also called for the standardisation of private refineries, saying, “It is a shame that Nigerians are made to suffer for the incompetence of the government. We are the only oil-producing country in the world that imports petroleum products; let the government license and serve as the regulator by standardising the operation of private refineries to service the domestic value chain.”

The National President, National Union of Teachers, Titus Amba, said the union would stand by the decision of the NLC on fuel subsidy removal.