Organised Labour Protest Against Fuel Subsidy Removal

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Wednesday kicked against the decision of the National Assembly to remove fuel subsidy in the 2015 appropriation bill.

Peters Adeyemi, NLC vice president, who stated this at the pre-May Day press conference in Abuja, however, acknowledged that the fuel subsidy has been characterised by corruption. He emphasised that NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) did not have the mandate of their members to support the removal of the fuel subsidy.

“We know it has been a contentious issue over the years. We have consistently said that there’s nothing like subsidy. So it is all about corruption. “If you would also take your mind back, this so called removal of subsidy has been something numerous governments have embarked upon without an end. Who tells you that even if the incoming administration embarks on it, it will see the end of removal of subsidy? “During Obasanjo’s government, this exercise was embarked upon about 11 times and labour, both the TUC and NLC, engaged the government severally.

“So it is like the more you look, the less you see. For us in labour we are not going to support that; we don’t have the mandate of our members, both the NLC and TUC.

“I hope that even the incoming government in its desperation to look for money would not look for money at the wrong place because we don’t believe that subsidy exists. It is part of the corruption we are talking about. So for now, we don’t have the position to support that and we are not supporting it.”

On the congress’ position on the national minimum wage, Adeyemi disclosed that NLC and TUC would use the Workers’ Day to canvass for upward review of

the national minimum wage, considering the current economic trends have necessitated for a review of the wage.

Adeyemi said, “The minimum wage is no longer something to write home about. We are already talking before the exit of this administration that our minimum wage is due for a review. If you take a look at the level of our currency depreciation, you will find out that the N18,000 minimum wage is no longer anything to write home about.

“If you do arithmetical calculation may be the N18,000 would just be less than N2,000 of what used to be minimum wage some years back. The reality that confronts us today is that this minimum wage is no longer anything that you can be proud of. It has been clearly eroded.”