That President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced removal of fuel subsidy is no longer news.
The fresh news is that Labour has condemned the denial of dividends of the removal after a year of the subsidy removal. Concerned that one year after, the purpose of the removal has remained elusive, Labour is calling for action. Likewise, they lamented against the gradual delay in announcement of the New National Minimum Wage as the old National Minimum Wage of N30,000 expired last month. Noting that the delay in announcement of its own payment after Labour has presented it’s own side of N615,000 by federal government is not being taken likely by Labour, they explained N615,000 was presented to enable Nigerian workers have enjoyable and living wage. Hence the President of Association of Senior Civil Servants (ASCSN), Comrade (Dr) Tommy Etim Okon and the President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Comrade Joe Ajaero, cited the pains the masses are going through based on the subsidy removal as another reason for their planned battle, which can take place any moment without another notice.
In seperate chats with me, the duo expressed their displeasure over the hardship the masses have been thrown into, saying, the removal has not only pushed more Nigerians into poverty levels and even infrastructure has remained deplorable due to the mismanagement of the accrued revenues by the various tiers of government.
Still expressing their disappointment with the heavy load government is piling on the heads of the masses, Okon and Ajaero demanded for proper accountability by NNPC Limited and charged them to tell Nigerians if subsidy removal is still on, following the amount allegedly being owed oil marketers by government.
“We are concerned on continued mentioning by marketers that federal government is owing them. We want to know the true state of things. Is payment of subsidy still on or where are we now?” The duo also demanded the immediate reversal of the hike in electricity tariff and withdrawal of planned cyber security levy, noting that is another burden being pushed on shoulders of the masses.
FG promised that Port Harcourt refinery will work by April, but now we are in May, yet they are still battling with importation of fuel. The cabals within and around NNPC should be exposed. Nigerians are tired of continue suffering.”
