In a recent interview in Abuja, Onyebuchi Ezigbo addressed the Nigeria Labour Congress’s (NLC) firm opposition to the federal government’s recent increase in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit. Ezigbo reported that the NLC is demanding an immediate rollback of this price hike, along with previous increases, claiming these adjustments have only worsened the economic struggles faced by citizens.
Joe Ajaero, the president of the NLC, expressed his frustration with the government’s ongoing tendency to raise prices without any corresponding improvement in the financial circumstances of ordinary Nigerians or any supporting measures. “We are disheartened by the latest increase in petrol prices,” Ajaero stated. “It appears that the government’s only response is to hike prices, without considering the burden it places on everyday Nigerians.”
Ajaero also questioned the rationale behind allowing a private corporation, specifically the NNPCL, to control fuel pricing and operate with a near-monopoly. “We urge the government to reassess their approach and develop a comprehensive plan for inclusive economic growth and national development, rather than relying on this piecemeal strategy that offers only temporary relief,” he remarked.
He further underscored the adverse effects of the recent price hike, noting that it disrupts the careful financial planning of Nigerians who were just starting to adapt to their new economic realities. “This will only deepen poverty,” Ajaero warned. “Production capacities will decline, more jobs will be lost, and the repercussions will be felt across the board.”
In light of these developments, Ajaero reiterated the NLC’s demand for the government to quickly reverse the price increase, emphasizing that past hikes have done little more than push people further into poverty. “Most importantly,” he added, “the government needs to be transparent and clearly communicate to Nigerians the direction it plans to take the country.”
