FUEL SUBSIDY REMOVAL: NLC WARNS FG

The Federal Government has been warned by the Nigeria Labour Congress against removing fuel subsidy in the country.
NLC President, Mr. Ayuba Wabba, argued in a statement on Tuesday that the disagreement between the Federal Government and the marketers on the exact amount of money owed the marketers, indicated that the current fuel scarcity could be a ploy to remove fuel subsidy.

The NLC's opposition to the removal of the fuel subsidy had not changed, said Wabba.

Debts owed marketers by Federal Government should be settle if any to address the issue of fuel scarcity and long fuel queues in the country.

The NLC President lamented that the long fuel scarcity had continued eating into the nation's productive hours as workers continued to spend long hours in search of fuel.

Some people had taken advantage of the scarcity to exploit Nigerians, who were being made to pay between N120 to N130 for a litre of fuel.
Wabba said that Federal Government should preside over the Petroleum Industry, and address the disturbing development.

This painful experience, he said Nigerians have been subjected to has been exacerbated by teh embarrassing tirade between the fuel marketers and the Federal Government, represneted by the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on the actual amount owed the marketers.

This protracted haggling by this major stakeholders even on the total amount owed, points to a conspiracy that perhaps, the scarcity may have been ignited by those clamouring for the removal of subsidy on petroleum.

We remain opposed on this as our position has not changed to the removal of petroleum subsidy.

If government is truly owing marketers, they should pay them immediately as the long queues at fuel stations have led to loss of lots of productive hours since workers are either unable to get to work or spend long hours searching for fuel.

Sharp practices, is what the scarcity has led to with workers paying between N120 to N130 per litre at some filling stations.

For those commuting by public transport, they now pay more to get to work even when there are no increase in salaries.

The NLC was worried about the worsening scarcity of fuel in Abuja, the South-West and other state of the federation, Wabba added.