NLC protest planned removal of oil subsidy
Posted by Jenson Okereke on October 29th 2009
NLC Members on the Street during the Protest
Nigerian workers under the auspices of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) took to the streets of Abuja to protest against the planned full deregulation of the oil industry. Government has planned to implement the final phase of the deregulation programme with a total removal of oil subsidy.
The protesters, over 2000 workers in number carried placards with different inscriptions amidst songs and chanting; calling on the PDP led government not to remove the oil subsidy. They called on the government to increase the Minimum Wage of Workers. In all the streets they passed, there were traffic blockade and near confusion.
In a pamphlet issued by the NLC Campaigns and Mobilization Committee, the Congress made it clear that “As huge revenues have continued to be acquired from the sweat of the workers, the pay and conditions of workers have continued to deteriorate; workers have increasingly been excluded from the wealth created by their labour.”
According to the NLC, in the past, agreements reached with government in relation to wage increase were sometimes distorted at implementation or not implemented at all by the government. It went ahead to cite instances.
The Congress also noted that the current National Wage of N7,500 is far below the minimum cost of providing basic needs for the worker and his/her immediate family. The Congress therefore called for a N52,200 national Minimum Wage.
It is however feared that if the oil subsidy is removed, Nigerian people are going to face severe hardship, as the price of a litre of petrol will cost over N100. This will further impact adversely on prices of other essential commodities in the market. Without an increased salary, the average Nigerian worker will not be able to cater for his family. The NLC advised the government to rescind its decision.
