By Clement Abayomi
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has asked the federal government to step in quickly to stop the suffering caused by high fuel prices in Nigeria.
According to a statement signed by the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, the rising cost of petrol has affected millions of Nigerian workers, placing an unbearable economic burden on them.
The price of petrol has moved between N1,170 and N1,300 per litre.
For More Details, Visit New Daily Prime at www.newdailyprime.news
The NLC stated that this has made life very hard for ordinary people who were already struggling.
Because fuel is expensive, the cost of transport and food has also gone up.
Many workers can no longer afford basic things like food or the bus fare to get to work.
The NLC blamed the high prices on the wars and tension between the United States, Israel, and Iran.
They noted that Nigeria is dependent on global market forces. Even though there were promises that local refining would make fuel cheaper, Nigerians are still paying more.
To help workers, the NLC is demanding the following from the government:
First is extra money for workers, an immediate “wage award” and cost-of-living allowance to help with high expenses.
Another demand is cash help for the poor, involving a better and more honest system to give cash to the most vulnerable people.
Lower taxes have also been demanded. The NLC demanded tax relief for people who earn low wages.
The NLC requested working refineries. They demanded a clear date for when the refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna will start working fully.
The organisation also noted that Nigeria is expected to make about N30 trillion from oil sales because of the global crisis.
They insisted that this “windfall” money should be spent on the Nigerian people, to mitigate the negative effects of the crisis on Nigerians.
The NLC then warned that if the government does not act soon, the hardship could lead to more tension in the country.
