Nigeria’s Trade Union Congress (TUC) maybe squaring for a battle with the Federal Government over the current prices of fuel.
Nigeria has continued to sell premium motor spirit (PMS), better known as petrol, for N97 per litre, diesel at N147 per litre and kerosene at between N120 and N130 per litre.
The prices of the products are even higher in some states especially in the Southern part of the country.
Experts and civil rights groups have been calling for a reduction in the prices to correspond with the current global price for crude oil, but the Nigerian government is yet to act in that regard and in some cases, criticised those who made such suggestions.
The TUC, an umbrella body for workers in Nigeria said that the government must reduce the retail price of petroleum products in the country to tally with global trends where the price of crude oil is now $51.91 per barrel.
The TUC recalled the argument put forward by government in 2012 for raising the pump price from N70 per litre to N97 and this was that the price of crude oil was at a high.
A statement by the President of the Congress, Bobboi Kaigama, and the Secretary General, Musa Lawal, said whether the government liked it or not, workers would begin agitation for increase in their wages soon so that they could cope with country’s neck-breaking economic pressures as a result of the fallen oil prices.
Demanding that the appropriate agencies be directed to review the prices downward, TUC said it should not be difficult for the government to work on a favourable price this time.
Kaigama said following the recent devaluation of the Naira, the TUC would begin to ask for wage increase to cushion its effect on workers’ plight.
He further warned against any attempt by the government to retrenchment of workers as a result of the decline in government revenue with falling oil prices while criticising even state governments for their refusal to prepare for the rainy day.
Kaigama said the group, civil society organisations and other Nigerians had earlier warned the government against squandering funds instead of engaging in savings.
The advice, was rebuffed by politicians who continued to share the money through allocations only for them to start crying over fallen prices of crude oil, the TUC President said.
TUC further said the decision of the government to devalue the Naira was too hasty as it had resulted in serious economic problem which consequences are being borne by the people.
The statement said the TUC would not tolerate cases of job losses arising from government’s insensitivity.
“The unemployment figures remain high; unimaginable crime rates, poverty, epileptic energy sector and inexplicable high tariff have become our lot,” Kaigama said in the statement.
“It has become pertinent to warn against such moves now to avoid worsening the spate of insecurity in the country today, which was occasioned by the gross mismanagement of the economy.”
While presenting the budget for 2015 to the National Assembly, Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, had urged the labour leaders in the country to be considering cut in salaries of workers instead of agitating for increase.