FG Meets NLC Today Over Fuel Subsidy as IPMAN Reacts

The Federal Government representatives are scheduled to meet with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) today by 2pm over the planned removal of fuel subsidy.

Recall that President Bola Tinubu’s statement concerning the oil subsidy during his inauguration speech has created some sort of crisis, chao, and panic buying in the downstream sector of the oil industry. 

The statement was received with the reappearance of fuel queues across the country and hike in transportation cost.

Joe Ajaero, National President of the NLC announced this while appearing as a guest on a Channels Television programme, Sunrise Daily, on Wednesday morning. He stated that the government seems to have shown interest in the discussion.

Issues to be discussed

According to the NLC president, there are some issues to be discussed pertaining to the fuel subsidy as the government can not just say there is no subsidy without alternatives and expose the citizens to marketers who want to sell the products at exorbitant price to maximise profit.

Alternatives must be provided

Ajaero said that even if President Bola Tinubu has good intentions by announcing subsidy removal, alternatives must be provided. He said the Bola Tinubu should have asked questions and found out the implications of fuel subsidy removal on Nigerians on the streets.

He said “Does it bring pleasure to us to say subsidy is gone and people start suffering? Is it not part of leadership for us to look at how the suffering of the people can be reduced?”

The NLC boss listed the alternatives. They include the repair of the nation’s 4 refineries, and the provision of transportation of alternatives for the Nigerian workers, amongst others.

IPMAN supports subsidy removal as the only answer to making Nigeria great

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has said that the deregulation of the oil sector and subsidy removal is the only way to make Nigeria great.

Yakubu Suleiman, the IPMAN National Public Relations Officer on Channels Television programme said the organisation’s take on the subsidy is supporting the deregulation of the industry.

He said “Removing subsidy is the only answer to make Nigeria great because there is no country that can survive without deregulating the economy.”

Suleiman commended President Bola Tinubu for removing subsidy removal in his inaugural speech. He said Tinubu was only informing Nigerians that there is no more subsidy, noting that the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari has announced subsidy removal by not making provision for it beyond June 2023 in the budget for this year.