The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has demanded the federal government immediately instruct the Nigerian Petroleum Company (NNPC) to retract the recently issued pricing template, allowing parties to conduct free and open conversations.
The NLC said in a statement issued on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, by its President, Joseph Ajaero, that the new price pattern is not only infuriating but an ambush that may jeopardise existing talks with the federal government.
According to Ajaero, the government cannot talk about deregulation while regulating the cost of petroleum products.
He said: “We are worried that the government, through the NNPC, despite the ongoing meeting of stakeholders in the oil and gas sector to manage the unilateral but unfortunate announcement by the President to withdraw subsidies on petroleum products, went ahead this morning to announce a new regime of prices under a new pricing template.
This is an ambush and runs against the spirit and principles of social dialogue, which remains the best platform available for the resolution of all the issues arising out of the petroleum downstream sector.
“This negates the spirit of allowing the operation of the free market unless the government has, as usual, usurped, captured, or become market forces.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has asked the federal government to immediately instruct the Nigerian Petroleum Company (NNPC) to withdraw the just released pricing template to allow a free flow of discussions by the parties.
In a statement signed by its president, Joseph Ajaero, on Wednesday, the NLC said the new pricing template is vexatious and an ambush, warning that it may scuttle its ongoing dialogue with the federal government.
According to Ajaero, the government cannot, in one breath, talk about deregulation while at the same time fixing the prices of petroleum products.
He said: “We are worried that the government, through the NNPC, despite the ongoing meeting of stakeholders in the oil and gas sector to manage the unilateral but unfortunate announcement by the President to withdraw subsidies on petroleum products, went ahead this morning to announce a new regime of prices under a new pricing template.
“This is an ambush and runs against the spirit and principles of social dialogue, which remains the best platform available for the resolution of all the issues arising out of the petroleum downstream sector.
“This negates the spirit of allowing the operation of the free market unless the government has, as usual, usurped, captured, or become market forces.
He further asserted that the actions of the government are a deliberate ploy to put the masses under undue pressure.
“It is therefore unacceptable, and we seriously condemn it. Good-faith negotiation is key to reaching an agreement. What the government has done is like holding a gun to the heads of the Nigerian people and bringing undue pressure on the leaders, thus undermining the dialogue.
“Nigerians would not accept any manipulations of any kind from any of the parties, especially from the representatives of the government.
“Our commitment to this process is buoyed by the fact that all the parties are committed to ensuring that it is carried out within the ambit of liberty without undue pressure,” he said.
He added that they may boycott the dialogue agreed with the Federal Government if the new price template is not withdrawn.
He said, “The release of that template may not allow us to continue if nothing is done to withdraw it so that the dialogue can continue unhindered. It is clear that the government is actually trying to scuttle the process.
“As it stands, the federal government has become fixated on their chosen course of action. Would this help this dialogue? It clearly will not. There must be flexibility to allow concessions and reasonable accommodation that will produce the best result for the Nigerian people. This is what we all seek at this time.”
