Fuel Subsidy Removal: Abort Nationwide Protest – Senate President Begs NLC, TUC
The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, have been encouraged by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, to “abort” planned rallies over the Federal Government’s proposed elimination of fuel subsidies.
The planned nationwide protest, according to Lawan, is “completely needless.”
He made the request on Monday during a meeting with Zainab Ahmed, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, and Timipre Sylva, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, to discuss the Federal Government’s planned removal of petroleum product subsidies.
Lawan criticized the timing of the proposed subsidy reduction on gasoline items.
He noted that while the administration and management of the petroleum subsidy are problematic, the government of President Muhammadu Buhari feels that adequate preparation must be carried out before it is eventually removed.
He said, “The position of everyone in government today is that admittedly, subsidy administration and management are flawed because of so many reasons.
“Admittedly, the burden is huge and massive and there is a need at one point to do away with the subsidy.
“Even though our economy is growing, we still have the challenge of getting things to be better for our people.
“A lot of us in this administration believe that the issue of removal of subsidy should be handled with utmost care, especially that sufficient planning needs to be done.
“It is not about NLC, we are talking about every Nigerian. We are concerned beyond the Nigeria Labour Congress.
“I am taking this opportunity to appeal to the TUC and NLC to shelve this plan to go on strike or demonstration, it is totally unnecessary.
“There is not going to be a removal of subsidy, so there is no need for this. Please, let’s not create unnecessary tension where there should be none.
“I appeal to them using this medium, to please forget about this January 27, 2022, deadline because there is no need for any deadline.”
