Emmanuel Thomas, Lagos
June 26, 2015 – The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have said that they were never consulted by President Muhammadu Buhari in the proposed removal of fuel subsidy contrary to reports circulating in the media.
In a statement signed by Comrade Ayuba Wabba, President NLC and Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama, President TUC said they were at no time consulted by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“We would want to state unequivocally that at no time has any one consulted us on the issue of the removal of fuel subsidy. We are certainly not party to this and no one should put words in our mouth. We make bold to challenge the Committee to mention the names of the “labour leaders” who were consulted and who “accepted” the position they have expressed for the public to know.
“Our position on the issue of the removal of fuel subsidy is unwavering. We recognize the corruption in the downstream sector of the petroleum industry orchestrated by government agencies in collusion with big-time business persons together with whom they have formed a cartel”, the labour unions said.
The union noted that in order to be able to deal with this situation effectively, government needs to break up this cabal by opening up the downstream sector of the petroleum industry to fair competition governed by ethics.
“Our mass protest in January 2012 against an increase in prices of petroleum products opened up a can of worms in the sector prompting legal proceedings against some of the culprits. Till this moment, in spite of overwhelming and incontrovertible evidence against the culprits, nothing has been heard about the case(s); yet it was a prime opportunity for government to demonstrate its fight against big corruption through diligent prosecution”, the labour union said.
They called on President Muhammadu Buhari to muster the necessary political will by not only opening up the sector to fair competition but by ensuring diligent prosecution of all the accused.
“We remain convinced that the real solution to the crisis in the sector lies in ensuring that domestic refining is promoted. This can only be achieved if new refineries are built and the four existing ones made to produce at installed capacity thus doing away with the need for importation of refined petroleum products .
“New pipelines should also be laid and the old ones refurbished to more efficiently channel the products to all parts of the country, instead of relying on carriage by tankers on our already over-burdened roads. Furthermore, the jobs of workers in the oil and gas industry must not be adversely affected by the removal of subsidy. And, of course, there must be clear and well-thought-out palliatives relating to transportation and other social services as would be necessary for ameliorating the effects of subsidy removal on the masses”, the unions said.
The unions argued that passage of that bill is one of several other things that must be done to get out of the current fuel crisis.
“Of course we are aware of the views held by many knowledgeable Nigerians that there is already no such thing as oil subsidy”, stressing that until leaders, especially those in the presidency, the National Assembly and everyone entrusted with the treasury trim their ostentatious lifestyles and pay from their own pockets for goods and services they enjoy, nobody will take them seriously.
“We appeal to the President to ensure diversification of the economy instead of relying almost entirely on oil in a nation divinely endowed with an enviable bounty of other prime natural resources and vast opportunities.
“Workers are owed several month pay because most states have neglected to harness their rich potentials. Finally, it must be reiterated that neither the Nigeria Labour Congress nor the Trade Union Congress has been consulted on the removal of oil subsidy by this administration and therefore neither labour centre could have ‘accepted’ such a proposal”, the labour unions said.
