NLC accuses FG of lack of transparency regarding subsidy removal

The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Joe Ajaero, has alleged that President Bola Tinubu’s government did not save the sum of N1 trillion since the fuel subsidy was removed.

Tinubu, during his national address on Monday, July 31, 2023, announced that the country had saved up the sum of N1 trillion in two months from the removal of the fuel subsidy.

But the NLC President told journalists at the ongoing protest in Abuja on Wednesday that the government’s announcement was false.

“The committee we are working with said it’s a lie; the committee is headed by Gbajabiamila, secretary of the committee and special adviser to the president, Paul Nnaji, said no money was saved,” Ajaero declared.

“The director budget said no kobo was saved, and the president said he has saved N1trn, so who do we believe?

“So, if there is no transparency from both sides, then no money will be given to us or anyone, this is the kind of conflict we are currently having, so who is lying?”

Ajaero said Tinubu lamenting that people have stolen Nigerian’s wealth is not acceptable, stressing that he is a courageous man, who has the apparatus of the state for his disposal.

“The cabal in Nigeria wants everyone to buy PMS, so we can keep filling their pocket, despite the surplus availability of CNG in Nigeria, we have begged the FG to make it available for Nigerians, but they said no, that it will take a year and six months for them to convert, how will we survive before then, because people will die,” Ajaero said.

The NLC president reiterated: “We can’t talk about how long the strike we will embark on will last, but after today we will review the situation, the option of continuing this protest is open to us, we are not backing down now.”

The fuel price per liter has since increased from N185 to N617 in different parts of the country.

On the basis of the rising cost of living in the country, the union issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to reverse its ‘anti-people’ policies.

The demands of the NLC include an increase to the current minimum wage, the release of the eight months withheld salary of university lecturers and workers, and a reversal in the increase of public school fees.