As Nigerians continue to groan over President Bola Tinubu’s announcement on fuel subsidy removal, OsunDaily News brings you the latest update on the Petrol scarcity, fuel subsidy and Govt/citizens reactions.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has denied media reports that there is a plan to hold any nationwide protest against the removal of fuel subsidy which has led to a hike in the price of petrol.
OsunDaily News reports that the President of NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, made this known in a statement on Thursday signed by the Congress’ Head of Information Unit, Benson Upah.
Ajaero stated that the organized labour has not scheduled a protest for Friday, adding that the union is only holding a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting tomorrow to deliberate on the subsidy removal.
He said though the NLC was outraged by what it described as a mindless price increase that is intended to bring untold hardship to ordinary Nigerians, the congress is not planning any protest for now.
The House of Representatives is seeking the outright removal of the fuel subsidy regime.
OsunDaily News reports that the House made the resolution after adopting the report of its ad-hoc committee which investigated the country’s subsidy regime.
According to the lawmakers, it would be in the best interest of all if the Federal Government outrightly removes the subsidy.
However, the members want the Federal Government to immediately come up with measures to cushion the effect through palliatives.
It also advised the government to procure CNG buses as an alternative Transport System with Cheaper Fuel Consumption, as well as introduce intermodal, regional and national transport systems to ease mass movement of people across the country.
The legislators also called for further investigation through a forensic audit by the office of the Auditor General of the Federation to ascertain whether the N413billion borrowed from the CBN for subsidy payments was refunded after the passage and assent of the 2015 budget as earlier approved by the President.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) would hold an emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Friday, June 2, to discuss the removal of fuel subsidy.
OsunDaily News reports that the Trade Union Congress (TUC) President, Festus Osifo, stated this in an interview on Channel Television’s Sunrise Daily on Thursday.
Recall that the NLC and TUC had in separate statements on Tuesday rejected the announcement by President Bola Tinubu that petrol subsidy would cease to be in place by the end of June.
Following the development, the Federal Government and the Organised Labour met on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja to reach an agreement on the issue of subsidy removal.
However, the meeting between both parties ended without an agreement and no consensus was reached, with the organised labour saying the meeting would reconvene after they have met with their members at a date yet to be fixed.
