The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Federal Goverment to announce the withdrawal of its plans to increase the pump price of petrol in the country.

The NLC President, Mr Ayuba Wabba, made this appeal in a letter jointly signed by Mr Emanuel Ugboaja, the General Secretary of the congress, and addressed to state governors on Monday in Abuja.

The letter is titled:”Petition by Nigerian workers against the proposed increase in the price of the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS)”.

According to Wabba, labour write to draw the attention to the recent proposal by the federal government to increase the pump price of the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol anytime from now.

”It is the well-considered view of Nigerian workers as conveyed through the leadership of NLC that the proposed hike, if it goes through, would induce and impose an unprecedented degree of hardship on Nigerian workers, their families and the generality of the populace.

”The net and multiplier effects of such socio-economic dislocation especially with regards to decent standard of living, productivity and national security are better imagined than experienced.

”Nigerian workers understand that government pays out significant amount of money as so-called petrol subsidy.

”Nigerian workers also appreciate the fact that the monies spent on the so-called petrol subsidy would be totally unnecessary if government is alive to its responsibilities of proper management of critical national assets especially our local refineries,” he said.

The NLC president also noted that it was the mismanagement of the four public oil refineries by successive governments that opened the floodgates of mass importation of refined petroleum products.

He further said that this have consequently unfurled incessant increases in the prices of refined petroleum products in Nigeria.

He added tha, the fact is very clear – there is no way a country can control the price of what it does not produce.

”For a critical national security product like petrol and other refined petroleum derivatives, the situation is akin to handing over our national sovereignty to other climes.

”There is no better description of neo-colonialism and toxic neo-liberalism than this,” he said.

The NLC president said Nigerian workers believed that the scourge of incessant hike in the pump price of petrol is self-inflicted and therefore totally unacceptable.

Wabba therefore said NLC demanded that the federal government should announce the withdrawal of its plans to increase the pump price of petrol.

He also said the federal government should re-engage organised Labour in Nigeria in discussions in order to find mutually acceptable solutions to the current quagmire in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sub-sector.

”The Federal Government should demonstrate seriousness and commitment to overhauling our local refineries as a lasting panacea to mass importation of refined petroleum products.

”That is importation Pricing Model, and a host of lost opportunities, official corruption and self-inflicted dislocations occasioned by mass importation of refined petroleum products into Nigeria.

”Governments at all levels in Nigeria should take immediate steps to improve governance and public accountability.

”This is in order to regain the confidence of Nigerians that the cardinal constitutional mandate of guaranteeing the welfare and security of Nigerians has not been traded off,” he said.

Wabba added that organised Labour as a responsible social partner is willing and ready to work with government to find enduring solutions to the crisis in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector and other areas of challenge in governance.

He also noted that the forthcoming nationwide protest for Jan. 27, is geared at alerting government on the sufferings that Nigerians are going through.

”It is also geared to show the additional insufferable trauma that Nigerians would be subjected to if the government goes ahead with the hike in the price of refined petroleum products.

”We plead that Your Excellency should use your position as a member of the National Economic Council to convey our foregoing persuasions and demands to the Federal Government,” he said.

He warned that Nigerian workers would have no other choice than to down tools once the government goes ahead to force another round of petrol price increment on Nigerians.

“Nigerians have suffered enough,” said the labour leader.