The Nigeria Labour Congres and the Trade Union Congress have described as unacceptable the lingering scarcity of petrol across the country and the unapproved price hike above N240 a litre in the country, IgbereTV reports
They urged the government to find an immediate solution to the shortage before things get out of hand.
In a joint statement by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), the Organised Labour said that no excuse was good enough for the shortage because no private individual or company was importing a litre of PMS into this Country.
They argued that all products are imported by the government and there is no record whatsoever that the agency of government that is importing the products has added a kobo to the price it sells the products to the marketers.
In the statement signed by the President of NLC and TUC, Ayuba Wabba, and Festus Osifo, respectively and titled “Fuel shortages, price hike and avoidable long queues in filling stations are unacceptable and no longer tolerable”, said they are reliably informed that the shortage is deliberately fostered by players in the downstream sector in order to hike the price far above the government approved threshold.
The statement read “The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) are seriously bewildered and disturbed by the persistent shortage and uncontrollable prices that players in the downstream sector of the petroleum industry are meting out to Nigerians.
“The persistent shortages of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) otherwise called petrol in the country has become a source of pain to the Nigerian people. It has led not just to long avoidable queues but adulteration of the product by unscrupulous elements; exploitation of the consumers, and turning fuel stations into traffic menace.
“All these have tragic consequences for the Nigerian people and debilitating effects on the health of the economy which itself is not in a good state. We are reliably informed that the shortage is deliberately fostered by players in the downstream sector in order to hike the price far above the government-approved threshold. It is an added problem when non-state actors begin to arrogate to themselves the power to determine.
