The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress is set to meet today (Friday) to deliberate and reach a stance on the proposal by governors for the price of petrol to be hiked from N162/litre to N408.5/litre.
On Wednesday, a committee working on the mandate of the Nigeria Governor’s Forum advocated for the full removal of petrol subsidy. It sought for the price of petrol to be fixed between N380/litre and N408.5/litre.
In its reaction on Thursday, the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry urged the Federal Government to remove petrol subsidy gradually, considering its effect on the masses.
Meanwhile, the officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation told Punch that the oil firm was awaiting the Federal Government’s position on the recommendation of the governors before it would adjust the petrol price.
NNPC has been the sole importer of petrol into Nigeria for more than three years running.
Speaking on the position of the NLC on the development, the Deputy President, Joe Ajaero, said, “Congress will come up with a position latest tomorrow (Friday).”
Officials of both the NLC and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers in separate exclusive interviews had last week argued that the continued imports of petrol by the NNPC was at the detriment of Nigeria’s refineries.
They also insisted that the government should fix Nigeria’s refineries and stop importing petrol to help halt subsidy and save funds for the country, as they opposed subsidy removal now.
The Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, NNPC, Kennie Obateru, said that the oil firm would await the Federal Government’s position on the governors’ recommendation before changing petrol price.
He said, “We really cannot take a position on that now because we don’t want to pre-empt whatever government is going to decide and it is whatever the Federal Government decides that will come to play.