December 13, (THEWILL) – The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has reiterated its position to resist any attempt to remove subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), without full restoration of the refineries in the country.
It also insisted on mobilising workers ahead of the 2023 general election to vote for candidates ready to implement economic and social policies that would promote members’ welfare.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 18th edition of NLC Harmattan School, held at the Michael Imodu National Institute For Labour Studies (MINILS) in Ilorin, Michael Kwara state, NKC President, Ayuba Wabba, said the Union’s opposition to fuel subsidy removal is an age-long struggle.
“What do you even call subsidy? Subsidy is inefficiency, our inefficiency or inability to refine products. That is what we call subsidy. If we are refining, we should not be talking about subsidies and why can’t we refine?” he said.
Wabba said although there was nothing bad about subsidy, but in Nigeria’s case, it is shrouded in secrecy and not a transparent process.
He argued that the consumption of PMS and all details about it are shrouded in secrecy, typical behaviour of all capitalist economies; adding that a socialist economy looks at how to make the people happy, and remove the stress from the people.
Giving an example of the deregulation of diesel supply in the country, Wabba said the cost of diesel had gone up astronomically since the policy was implemented.
“Is it the same example you want to set? All Nigerians should reflect on it. What they call subsidy removal is just increasing the price which has happened in the case of subsidies on kerosene and diesel.
“Is that the same thing we want to apply to PMS? How many people can afford it? These are the very important questions that we need to interrogate. And this is what Labour has been interrogating”, he said.
Wabba said the NLC was aware that part of the reason for current fuel scarcity was the problem of the high cost of diesel which is affecting owners of petrol tankers used to transport PMS.
“But the bottom line is that we will resist any price increase in the name of removal of subsidy. Let us look at the issue of subsidy. What do we say is the issue of subsidy? Does it only mean price increase? In the case of this diesel adulteration is still there”, he added.
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