We feel Betrayed, Joe Ajaero, NLC President

  JOE AJAERO We are filled with a deep sense of betrayal as the federal government clandestinely increases the pump price of premium motor spirit (PMS). One of the reasons for accepting N70,000 as national minimum wage was the understanding that the pump price of PMS would not be increased even as we knew that N70,000 was not sufficient. We recall vividly when Mr. President gave us the devil’s alternatives to choose from: either N250,000 as minimum wage (subject to the rise of the pump price between N1,500 and N2,000) and N70,000 (at old PMS rates), we opted for the latter because we could not bring ourselves to accept further punishment on Nigerians. But here we are, barely one month after and with government yet to commence payment of the new national minimum wage, confronted by a reality we cannot explain. It is both traumatic and nightmarish. Yet, when we told government that it’s approach to resolving the fuel subsidy contradictions was patently faulty and would not last, it’s front row cheer leaders sneered at us, saying we did not understand basic economics . But if truth be told, this act of betrayal is consistent with the character of this government. We recall the assurances we were given by the leadership of the National Assembly on the 250% tariff hike, that it had been dealt with and there was no need to openly engage the Minister of Power who was at that meeting. Instead of the promised reversal, the rate has since been jerked up further putting more Nigerians and businesses in jeopardy. The combined effects of government’s ferocious right -wing market policies brought Nigerians and Nigeria to their all-time low and led to the End-Hunger/End Bad Governance protests. Rather than make amends, government arrested and hounded into detention some of those who took part and some of those who had nothing to do with these protests, charging them with criminal conspiracy, subversion, treasonable felony, terrorism financing and cyber crime with an intent to overthrow the government of President Tinubu. The police and other security agencies have since been on rampage terrorising the citizenry in pursuance of government’s agenda of muzzling lawful dissent. In brazen pursuit, they have defamed and libeled not a few individuals. They have gone as far as appropriating the statutory roles of the Ministry of Labour and Employment in resolving trade dispute matters and issues considered outside the jurisdiction of the security agencies. That the government is on rampage in the face of stifling conditions of living is an understatement but we promise Nigerians that we at the Nigeria Labour Congress will not be cowed into submission. Together with civil society, we brought about this democracy when some of the actors in power today were conspiring with the military on how to perpetuate their hold on political power. When the State and the security forces picked on us in a hybrid war, we had our suspicions. We knew they were up to something sinister and needed to distract/divert our attention or possibly frighten or weaken us before they came out with it so that we would not have a robust response. Now that they chickens have come to roost, we were right in our suspicions. However, we want to let Nigerians know that the clandestine/surreptitious increase in the pump price of PMS is the first among the equally sinister policies government has up its sleeve. On our part, we stand resolute with the people and will neither be distracted nor intimidated by the government or its security agencies. We insist that government cannot criminalise protests or basic rights in the domain of the citizenry. Accordingly, we demand the immediate: 1). Reversal of the latest increase in the pump of PMS across the country; 2). Release of all those incarcerated or being prosecuted on the assumption of having participated in the recent protests; 3). Halt the indiscriminate arrest and detention of citizens on trumped up charges; 4). Reversal of the 250% tariff hike in electricity; 5). Stop to the hijack of the duties of the Ministry of Labour and Employment; 6). End to policies that engender hunger and insecurity; 7). Halt to government’s culture of terror, fear and lying. We are guided by our belief in our country and the need to secure and sustain its sovereignty, integrity and welfare of the people. In the coming days, the appropriate organs of the Congress will be meeting to take appropriate decisions which will be made public. Comrade Joe Ajaero is the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)  

Petrol Increased To N626.21 In September- NBS

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), says the average retail price of a litre of petrol increased from N191.65 in September 2022 to N626.21 in September 2023. It made the declaration in its Petrol Price Watch for September 2023 released in Abuja on Saturday. It stated that the September 2023 price of N626.21 represented a 226.75 per cent increase over the price of N191.65 recorded in September 2022. “Comparing the average price value with the previous month of August 2023, the average retail price increased by 0.08 per cent from N626.70. “On state profiles analysis, Taraba paid the highest average retail price of N665.56 per litre, followed by Borno and Benue at N657.37 and N641.29, respectively. “Conversely, Rivers, Delta and Jigawa paid the lowest average retail prices at N602.55, N605.88 and N617.42, respectively,’’ it stated. Analysis by zones showed that the North-East recorded the highest average retail price in September 2023 at N638.33, while the South-South recorded the lowest at N618.47 per litre. The NBS also stated in its Diesel Price Watch Report for September 2023 that the average retail price was N890.80 per litre. It explained further that the September 2023 price of N890.80 per litre amounted to a 12.77 per cent increase over the N789.90 per litre paid in September 2022. “On a month-on-month basis, the price increased by 4.27 per cent from the N854.32 per litre recorded in August 2023,’’ it added. On state profile analysis, the report said the highest average price of diesel in September 2023 was recorded in Kano at N967.78 per litre, followed by Anambra at N950.95 per litre and Niger at N950.55 per litre. On the other hand, the lowest price was recorded in Bayelsa at N840.16 per litre followed by Katsina at N840.55 per litre and Rivers at N840.82 per litre. In addition, the analysis by zones showed that the South-East has the highest price at N918.06 per litre, while the South-South recorded the lowest price at N863.97 per litre. 

No fuel price hike in the pipeline, Tinubu reassures Nigerians

President Bola Tinubu has moved to allay fears of a potential increase in the pump price of petrol in Nigeria. The market has already been deregulated, and according to the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, it will continue to remain so. He said that the government aims to address inefficiencies in the midstream and downstream petroleum subsectors without reverting to a policy reversal. This declaration follows the Nigerian National Petroleum Company’s (NNPC) statement that it has no plans to raise petrol prices, countering speculations and responding to warnings from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). Previous price hikes have sparked outrage and nationwide protests, especially the last increase from N197 to N617.