It’s wicked to talk about fuel subsidy removal now – NLC

It’s wicked to talk about fuel subsidy removal now – NLC

The Nigeria Labour Congress has warned that the workers Union will not tolerate removal of fuel subsidy now.

Indeed, it says it amounts to an act of wikedness for anyone to talk about removing subsidy on petrol at this time.

The reaction follows the announcement by the Federal Government that it had left the decision on petrol subsidy removal to the incoming government.

The NLC declared that anybody thinking of subsidy removal at this time wants to blow up the country.

General Secretary of NLC, Emma Ugboaja, said this in an interview in Lagos, adding that nobody should drag Nigerian masses and workers into any increase in fuel price in the name of subsidy.

He said the focus should be on local refining of petroleum products and not subsidy removal.

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He warned that the labour would not accept a hike in petrol price in the name of subsidy removal.

Ugboaja said, “It will be uncharitable in 2023 for any government to be talking about subsidy or no subsidy for a product that is naturally and thoroughly well-endowed in Nigeria.

“It smirks of wickedness for us to be discussing subsidy as an issue rather than discussing production. We are discussing subsidy as an economic theory rather than discussing production.

“The energy and resources that people are putting into discussing subsidy show a lack of focus. It shows a lack of seriousness and a lack of appreciation of what governance should be.

“If in 2023, rather than getting people that will make proper use of our natural endowment, we are busy discussing the cosmetic challenge of subsidy or no subsidy, it is absurd.

“One would have thought that people should be setting before the incoming government a genuine challenge on how to move Nigeria forward.

“Not for us to continue in the rigmarole of vicious, musical chair and absurd comedy of subsidy or no subsidy. We cannot be people that do not respond to records.”

It’s wicked to talk about fuel subsidy removal now – NLC