Labour union demands wage relief, others amid rising fuel price
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Federal Government to urgently intervene in the worsening fuel price crisis, demanding immediate wage relief for workers and measures to shield Nigerians from the impact of rising petrol prices.NL
It added that the apex government should make sufficient crude available to domestic refineries in naira, and expand national petroleum storage capacity to strengthen the country’s energy security as well as its ability to respond to emergencies.
According to the union, the fresh increase was deepening economic hardship across the country, stressing that the impact of higher transportation costs was already spreading to virtually every aspect of household expenditure.
The union, in a statement titled “Save the Situation Now’, and signed by its President, Joe Ajaero, said petrol prices had risen to about ₦1,430 per litre in major urban centres, with prices reportedly higher in less accessible areas.
According to him, rising transport fares inevitably trigger increases in school fees, rents, tariffs and food prices, further eroding workers’ wages and worsening poverty among Nigerians.
The labour leader said the latest price surge was particularly troubling because it came at a time when government pressure on fuel marketers to reduce pump prices in line with international crude oil prices appeared to be producing results.
He attributed the new pressure largely to the resurgence of conflict in the Gulf but argued that Nigeria, as a major oil-producing country with local refining capacity, should have sufficient protection against external shocks.
Ajaero therefore urged the Federal Government to immediately introduce reasonable wage awards for workers,
He said the measures would not only cushion the immediate impact of rising fuel prices but also create jobs, generate economic value and contribute to addressing emerging security challenges.
The labour leader also challenged the argument against government intervention in the petroleum market, saying there was nothing wrong with subsidising essential needs of citizens during emergencies.
“At the moment, there is no oil-producing country we know of that has not intervened or come up with sustainable palliatives in one way or the other in these perilous times,” he said.
Ajaero further argued that government had additional fiscal space to respond to the crisis, claiming that the country was earning between $35 and $40 per barrel above the budgeted crude oil price on the international spot market.
He described the additional earnings as a windfall which, in his view, should provide room for measures to protect Nigerians from the immediate consequences of the fuel price shock.
The labour movement also raised concerns over the continued importation of crude oil by some local refineries, describing the development as unreasonable and contrary to the rationale behind developing domestic refining capacity.
Ajaero called for sustained efforts to ensure that locally produced crude is made available to domestic refineries, arguing that reliance on imported crude undermines the benefits expected from investments in local refining.
He warned that the Federal Government could not afford to ignore the growing hardship associated with deregulation, particularly with the next general elections approaching.
“We are of the view that a government that seeks re-election in the next few months cannot afford to stand and watch marketers inflict suffering on the citizenry in the name of deregulation,” Ajaero said.
He added that the labour movement had a responsibility to speak out and take appropriate action if the worsening situation was not addressed.
The statement comes amid renewed concerns over the effect of higher petroleum prices on transportation, household incomes, businesses and the wider cost of living, with labour demanding urgent intervention to prevent further deterioration in living conditions.