THE NIGERIA Labour Congress (NLC) on Wednesday mocked the federal government stating that the only thing it is known for is hike in the price of petrol.
According to the Congress, as the NLC is typically called by trade unionists, the latest increase “will further deepen poverty as production capacities dip, more jobs lost with multidimensional negative effects.”
In a press statement by its President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, the NLC further castigated the government noting that it has become clear that that increase comes “…without commensurate capacity of Nigerians or mitigatory measures.”
It therefore called on the government “to immediately reverse this rate hike as previous increases did not produce any good result. People only got poorer.”
The full statement, entitled: “What Next After Increase In Pump Price?” reads:
“We are dismayed by the latest increase in the pump price of petrol. It looks like the only thing this government is known for is increase in the pump price of petrol without commensurate capacity of Nigerians or mitigatory measures.
“Even following the logic of market forces, we find it an aberration that a private company (NNPCL) is the one fixing prices and projecting itself as a hegemonic monopoly.
“We challenge the government to go to the drawing board and present us with a blueprint for an inclusive economic growth and national development instead of this spasmodic ad hocism and palliative policy.
“It needs no stating the fact that the latest wave of increase has grossly altered the calculations of Nigerians once again at a time they were reluctantly coming to terms with their new realities.
“It will further deepen poverty as production capacities dip, more jobs lost with multidimensional negative effects.
“In light of this, we urge the government to immediately reverse this rate hike as previous increases did not produce any good result. People only got poorer.
“But more fundamentally, the government should be bold enough to tell Nigerians in advance the destination it wants to take the country.”
