Abuja, Oct. 10, 2024 – Joe Ajaero, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has called on Nigerians to reject the persistent increases of petrol prices in the country.
He made the call in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday following the new increase in the pump prices of petrol.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (NNPCL) on Wednesday increased prices of petrol ranging between N998 and N1,030 per litre across the country.
Ajaero said that the fuel price increase would exacerbate poverty, reduce production capacities, and lead to more job losses across the country.
He also condemned the persistent price hikes without sufficient mitigatory measures to cushion their impact on Nigerians.
“It looks like the only thing this government is known for is the increase in the pump price of petrol without commensurate capacity of Nigerians or mitigatory measures.”
Ajaero also expressed concern over the role of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) in setting fuel prices, describing it as an “aberration.”
“We find it an aberration that a private company (NNPCL) is the one fixing prices and projecting itself as a hegemonic monopoly.”
The NLC President urged the government to devise a comprehensive plan for economic growth, rather than relying on short-term fixes.
“We urge the government to immediately reverse this rate hike as previous increases did not produce any good results. People only got poorer,” he said.
Ajaero called on the government to provide a clear direction for the nation’s economic future.
“The government should be bold enough to tell Nigerians in advance the destination it wants to take the country.”
