Mohammed Shosanya
The Nigeria Labour Congress,NLC, says oil marketers are cheating Nigerians, as the current price of petrol is significantly higher than the real market price in the country.
Its President,Comrade Joe Ajaero,who said this in a signed communique issued at the end of the union’s National Executive Meeting in Port Harcourt,said the development reinforced the fact there may be a hang-up against Nigerians by fat cats in the oil industry.
According to the NLC,padding of costs and abnormal margins seems to be the order of the day on account of the revelations from the ongoing controversy between marketers and Dangote group.
The communique said:”It is entirely possible that Nigerian workers and masses are being ripped off by those who control the levers of Economic power in Nigeria which explains why the domestic public refineries may not immediately be allowed to come on stream.
“NLC demands appropriate pricing of petrol and calls for the Public domestic refineries in PH, Warri and Kaduna to quickly come back on stream to break-up the monopolistic stranglehold the big players have in the industry”.
The NEC expressed concern over the accelerating economic hardship inflicted upon Nigerian citizens as inflation continues to rise unchecked, with the costs of basic necessities spiralling beyond the reach of the average worker.
The workers lamented that millions of Nigerians are being driven into destitution, forced to choose daily between feeding their families and seeking healthcare.
The communique said:”Access to energy has become a mirage while workers become increasingly poorer even as they work longer hours to meet their other basic needs. As a result, nutritional diseases like Kwashiorkor and Marasmus have resurfaced in Nigeria”
The union demanded immediate, concrete interventions from the Federal Government, not token measures, to relieve the suffering.
It also sought implementation of comprehensive social protection policies that shield Nigerians from poverty, provide affordable healthcare, and ensure a wage that reflects the true cost of living.
The NLC expressed disgust over the recent military invasion of Oritsetimeyin Oil Rig,and demanded mmediate withdrawal of all forces of invasion now occupying the facility.
It further sought a cessation of further militarization of the nation’s workplaces and restoration of the workers forcefully ejected from the site including a quick compliance with the agreement faithfully negotiated and earlier signed by the parties.