NLC demands cancellation of fuel price hike and release of detained protesters

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has expressed its disappointment over the latest fuel price hike.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited has increased the price of its products across its retail outlets from ₦568 to ₦885 per litre.

This follows denial by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri, that the Federal Government had approved the fuel price hike.

In a statement signed by its President, Joe Ajaero, the NLC described the sneaking increase in petrol prices as a “deep sense of betrayal”.

The NLC accused the government of reneging on promises made during minimum wage negotiations.

Congress also condemned the government’s crackdown on #EndBadGovernance protesters and the arrest of Nigerians on trumped-up charges.

They demanded the immediate cancellation of the fuel price hike, the release of detained protesters, an end to indiscriminate arrests and detentions, and the cancellation of the 250% increase in electricity tariffs, among others.

The statement read: “We are filled with a deep sense of betrayal as the federal government has surreptitiously increased the price of PMS pumps. One of the reasons for accepting N70,000 as the national minimum wage was the understanding that the price of PMS pumps would not be increased, even though we knew that N70,000 was not enough.

“We demand the immediate reversal of the fuel price hike; the release of jailed protesters; an end to indiscriminate arrests and detentions; the cancellation of the 250% increase in electricity tariffs; an end to the Ministry of Labor and Employment’s usurpation of its duties; an end to policies that create hunger and insecurity; and an end to the government’s culture of terror, fear and deception.

“In the coming days, the relevant bodies of Congress will meet to make an appropriate decision that will be announced to the public.”

NLC demands rollback of fuel price hike, release of detained protesters first appeared on Latest Nigeria News | Headlines from Ripples Nigeria.