Fuel Price Increase: Dust Your Sneakers, We’ll Shut Down Nigeria, NLC Fixes Date for Protest, Threatens FG
- NLC has said Nigerians will not take any more punishment by way of fuel price increment in the guise of subsidy removal and electricity price hike
- The labour union has urged workers and the citizens to prepare for total war against any form of hike by FG
- Reaffirming its readiness to shut down the country, a protest has been scheduled to take place in all the 36 states of the federation on January 27
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is not in support of the plan by the federal government to hike the price of petrol and electricity tariff.
In its new year message on Saturday, January 1, the union said it would shut down the country if the government proceeds with the planned price hike in 2022, The Nation reports.
The message signed by NLC President Ayuba Wabba pointed out the sufferings of Nigerians, saying it was enough.
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Subsidy removal: Northern groups threaten protests, reject increase in petroleum pump price
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Labour stated that the policies of the current administration, which it labelled as anti-people, would no longer be tolerated.
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Wabba advised FG to shelve any plans of increasing petrol price until action is taken to make the nation’s refineries functional.
NLC fixes date for protest
According to Labour, it had a meeting between December 15 and 17, 2021, where it was agreed that they would protest the planned hike. The protest will take place in all 36 states of the federation on January 27, 2022, Vanguard reports.
The statement read in part:
“The protest in the states would culminate in the submission of protest letters to the 36 State Governors. Subsequently, on the 1st of February 2022, there would be a national protest to be held in the Federal Capital Territory.
“We urge Nigerian workers and people to dust their sneakers and fully participate in the peaceful protests and rallies aimed at salvaging our economic future."
FG to replace subsidy with N5,000 transport grant
The minister of finance, budget and national planning, Zainab Ahmed, had in November 2021, announced the payment of N5,000 as transport grant after the removal of the fuel subsidy.
She revealed that beneficiaries would be Nigerians who make up the poorest population.
The subsidy removal will automatically result in an increase in petrol price and other costs of living.
What will happen if petrol price becomes N340 per litre
The Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) had said that the price of petrol may range between N320 and N340 per litre after the removal of subsidy in 2022.
Reacting to this, Senator Shehu Sani, former federal lawmaker from Kaduna state, listed what will happen if the product is being sold at such a high price.
He said:
- Salaries or wages will be worthless
- Landlords will increase the rent
- The schools will increase the tuition and parents must pay
- Food prices, transport, water and electricity bills will increase
Source: Legit.ng
