Former president of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Peter Esele, has said that subsidy on petroleum products has been returned fully by the federal government.
Esele disclosed this yesterday while speaking on Channels Television live programme, which was monitored in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
He said: “Fuel subsidy is back. This is not something we should be arguing about. Fuel subsidy is back and it is even back with full force. If government wants to be open, they will tell you that. Fuel subsidy is back in full swing.
“When President Tinubu announced the removal of subsidy, it was about N750 but now it is about N1500. I am telling you the official price. One should prepare that today, a litre of fuel should be at N1200 or N1300.”
The former TUC president explained that the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) were asking for more money from government to enable them take care of their businesses.
Esele said, “It is the responsibility of NARTO to take care of their business. Their business is failing and they just want a way to survive. It is the responsibility of government to ensure that everyone survives.
“So, NARTO wants to survive and I want to survive too. So, what we have is that everyone is looking out for himself. But, it is the responsibility of government to look out for everyone; create that space for everyone to survive.
“The problem now is what NARTO wants or what they are requesting from the government, those who are in-charge of it are not willing to pay. So, they are not willing to pay what NARTO is asking for and that is why they are withdrawing their trucks.
“Don’t worry about NARTO withdrawing their trucks because of hardship. No, it is not the reason. The reason is because of cost of service. What you have now is that everybody is asking for more money to survive.”
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