Fuel Subsidy: Group opposes planned nationwide protest by NLC

 

 

A group known as Vanguard for Transparent Leadership and Democracy (VATLAD) has opposed the plans by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, to mobilize Nigerian workers to embark on nationwide protest over its strong oppositions to the proposed removal of fuel subsidy.

It also stated that the major reason given by NLC for this planned protest is purely politically motivated rather than for the overriding good and interest of the masses of Nigeria.

Comrade Igbini Emmanuel, National President, VATLAD, posited that that the leadership of NLC for years now has never been sincere with Nigerians over the issue of deregulation of the petroleum sector and proper pricing of petroleum products.

According to him, rather many of the labour leaders have used it to mislead million of Nigerian masses while very few individuals continue to fraudulently enrich themselves through the so-called fuel subsidy.

Emmanuel maintained that the group long expected NLC to have mobilized her members and Nigerians to demand a probe and prosecution of those involved in the fuel subsidy scam and the monumental fraud and corruption in the upstream and downstream of Nigerian petroleum sectors.

Again, he said the group expected NLC to embark on nationwide protest against the few unpatriotic Nigerians who have made it impossible for Nigeria refineries to function.

‘’We know for sure that the Nigerian refineries are in good working conditions and that the Nigerian workers of the refineries are ever willing and capable to putting the refineries in use but some power-that-be refuse them’’

‘’Why NLC would base its decision on the fact “opposition politicians who encouraged the mass action against the former administration (PDP) to remove the fuel subsidy were now agitating for its removal”? Must leadership of NLC expects Nigerians to continue to support the perpetuation of wrongs of the past while Nigerian masses are dying?’’

However, the group strongly objected to government plans to fix the price of petroleum product after removal of subsidy, saying to do so would negate the spirit of deregulation and principles of economic of demand and supply.

‘’Government must hands off fixing of prices of petroleum products in a deregulated environment but instead concentrate on sanitizing the management of the refineries and NNPC and create conducive environment for private investors to compete,’’ Emmanuel said.