The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday reiterated its warning to the Federal Government that there would be nationwide disruption if it goes ahead with the planned removal of subsidy on petroleum products by December this year or latest, end of 2011.

The leadership of the workers body was reacting to an interview given by the Minister of Finance, Olusegun Aganga, at the weekend, where he said the government is set to go ahead with the controversial policy. Although Mr. Aganga also announced that there would be an investment of N10 billion in a mass transit system to ease the impact, the removal is likely to mean a petrol price hike from N65 to N120 per litre.

In a statement by its acting head of information, Onah Iduh, the NLC said that Mr. Aganga’s declaration is contrary to ongoing discussions with the government.

“The position of the honourable minister is completely against the subsisting dialogue between Labour and government.

“To the best of our knowledge, nothing meaningful has come out of the discussion up to now.

“We see the minister’s comment, therefore, as pre-emptive of the dialogue and invariably a mark of government’s insincerity on the policies of subsidy and deregulation,” the statement said.

During the interview, Mr. Aganga said the government was keen to avoid any disruptions, but that there was no “economic sense in marinating subsidies.”

“The question is, what would be the impact of removing the subsidy on those that you want to protect, the most vulnerable in society?” he said.

The NLC statement addressed Mr. Aganga’s comments by saying that a subsidy removal would do the opposite.

“We wish to state that the NLC still remains opposed to the twin policies of subsidy withdrawal and deregulation principally because the arguments usually advanced by government do not take into consideration the broader social and economic ramifications on, especially, the masses, who are supposed to be the beneficiaries of subsidy,” it declared.

According to the NLC, the implications of the removal of subsidy from petroleum products go far beyond the question of availability of mass transit system, or whatever amount of money government would be saving. Rather, it is about the question of government living up to its basic responsibility of providing good governance in the best interest of the masses.

In the oil sector, which is the hub of the country’s economy, it observed, good governance would be symbolised in functional refineries, effectively coordinated distribution network for petroleum products, as well as other variables geared towards serving national interests, adding that it believes what the government requires to achieve these are the will, commitment, and courage to confront the numerous challenges, particularly the most profound: corruption in the oil sector.

While restating its call on the president to ignore any advice on the removal of subsidy on petroleum products without exhaustive engagement with relevant interest groups, particularly Labour, the NLC said it believes “this is not the time to put additional burden on already overburdened Nigerians,” adding that it would not be able to guarantee industrial peace in the country if government goes ahead to unilaterally withdraw subsidies on fuel products, as the Minister of Finance has stated.

The issue of removal of subsidy on petroleum products has always been a touchy issue in labour circles, as it is often seen as a way by government to put more pressure on Nigerians, particularly workers, whose salaries have not witnessed any adjustment, despite rising cost of living.

In spite of several assurances by government that it would take steps to ameliorate the likely pains envisaged from the implementation of the policy, it has always met stiff resistance from a cross section of Nigerians, who claim that the current structures in place can hardly sustain the implementation of the policy without aggravating the already deplorable economic situation of the people.





http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5615760-146/labour_threatens____national.csp

NIGERIA is same yesterday,today and .,,, hands cross

Foooooooooollllllllssssss!
They should slash their own allowance if they want to save money.

@ Blackface, U r too correct. Greedy souls(NLC).

. . . . .And 2morow they will ask us to pray for the God's forsaken entity called Nigeria . . . . . .

Bluvbytee:

@ Blackface, U r too correct. Greedy souls(NLC).

look at this slowpoke, he contributes nothing into Ng economy and abuses people old enough to be his FATHER

If I am not mistaken the History of NLC is littered with several protests that had only minimal, very short-term effects, the FG ultimately went ahead with their plans and unfortunately for citizens, The Federal Government's good intentions often collapse in the end (because they never truly planned to make good their good intentions).

It is a sad story that after decades of subsidies all we have to show for is broken down refineries, increasing cost of petrol, NO POWER and a fast-growing population of illiterates who cannot be depended upon to move this nation to great heights.

that is not the problem of Nigeria,the problem is leadership,if the fed goverment want let them pest fuel 200 niara per litre,we will still buy it well.

@seanet02
you ar a born idiet! your type remains slave till death!

Hey, U dat are talkin about insultin sum1 dat can b ones FATHER. Who can b his father, those greedy GOATS? Can a father giv his childrn snake instead of fish or stone instead of bread. See dot allow me close ur mouth wit bricks.

And 4u dat can buy PMS @N200/litr, where wil get d frm r u a 19 man or ur father is 1 of those loters?

black face:

Foooooooooollllllllssssss!
They should slash their own allowance if they want to save money.

True talk,

But come to think of it, Was there any subsidy in the first place? How can you claim subsidy when you are making huge profit? NNPC is making profit, The marketers are making profit. Then what are they subsidizing?

If the masses has to pay through their nose before getting any products and services in this country, then it means that all the natural resources we have are for the utilization of the elites that have enslaved this country for decades.

Let us not forget that other OPEC countries sells fuel cheaper than Nigeria in their countries, so I wonder what our government is doing for us that others are not doing better.

Giant of Africa, I for you.

The fuel su bsidy has to go.

The country is losing to much from it.

Nobody wants to set up a refinery and sell to the local market and regulated prices.

Even you won't.

Look at the power sector, once investorsd were assured of market prices for the gas they would produce, investments have strated pouring in etc.

Price deregulation is the way to go. Painful but its the truth!

tHESE Labour boys! When are they going to start facing reality?

lagerwhenindoubt:

If I am not mistaken the History of NLC is littered with several protests that had only minimal, very short-term effects, the FG ultimately went ahead with their plans and unfortunately for citizens, The Federal Government's good intentions often collapse in the end (because they never truly planned to make good their good intentions).

It is a sad story that after decades of subsidies all we have to show for is broken down refineries, increasing cost of petrol, NO POWER and a[b] fast-growing population of illiterates who cannot be depended upon to move this nation to great heights.[/b]

grandstar:

The fuel su bsidy has to go.

The country is losing to much from it.

Nobody wants to set up a refinery and sell to the local market and regulated prices.

Even you won't.

Look at the power sector, once investorsd were assured of market prices for the gas they would produce, investments have strated pouring in etc.

Price deregulation is the way to go. Painful but its the truth!

don't engage in arguments you cannot substantiate, its very true that Price deregulation is Okay, but it is like making Nigerians go to hell when the Refineries are not working and you remove subsidy, you are putting the fate of Nigerians especially workers who have a fixed salary in the slaughter slab of the ever volatile world oil market, what that means is that if the price of oil jumps to $200, the populace will have to bear the brunt as their will be no subsidy from the government while those in Government will be enjoying almost everything free of charge, free house, free health care, free this and that, so you expect Labour to fold their arms and allow a government noted for MASSIVE CORRUPTION and reluctance to increase wages even in the face of hyper inflation to punish them for the failures of successive Governments which is the FAILURE TO HAVE A FUNCTIONAL REFINERY, if the Government can do the refineries then they can go ahead as the PMS will be affordable to the masses even if there is increase in the world oil price as the marketers will not have to add cost like landing, shipping and many costs that will be FINALLY BEARED by the MASSES.
No to price subsidy removal without a functional refinery
Nooooooooooooooooooo

why should the masses suffer for all these nonsence from people who should no better

Too many unions. Union of Nairaland mods, union of NL members, union of NL guests, union of NL Advertisers, union of NL posters etc

Nigeria leader are burdening harder, they never thought about the poor masses on how to improve their standard of living for better.