A coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) on Sunday accused the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) of betrayal in the ongoing fuel subsidy negotiation, stating that they were not consulted and any agreement reached with the Federal Government would be unacceptable.
The CSOs, consisting of 65 different organizations, expressed their dissatisfaction with the negotiation process, which excluded Civil Society Organizations. They believed that the negotiation would only serve the interests of the Nigeria Labour Congress, representing about 35.6 million workers while neglecting the remaining 175.4 million citizens who may not have been considered.
The CSOs argued that the proposed salary increment for workers failed to consider the plight of citizens in the informal sector. As the CSOs are aware of the harsh conditions Nigerians are facing, they called on the Federal Government to halt further negotiations on fuel subsidy removal until the CSOs are involved.
A statement signed by Dr Basil Yelwa Musa, Convener, Malam Haruna Maigida, Co-Convener, Com. Ayo Temi Adebayo, and two others on behalf of 60 CSOs, urged key government officials involved in the negotiation, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, to engage the CSOs and other stakeholders in comprehensive discussions for a lasting solution.
The CSOs, including the Oil and Gas Transparency and Advocacy Group, Civil Society Coalition for Economic Development (CED), Centre for Citizens Rights, and Centre for Good Governance Advocacy and Action against Corruption in Nigeria, expressed their disappointment with the NLC’s decision to hold meetings with the representatives of the Federal Government without involving CSOs. They viewed this as a betrayal since CSOs were previously engaged in protests when agreements with the government were breached.
The removal of fuel subsidy in Nigeria led to a significant increase in petroleum pump prices, causing a surge of over 350% and subsequent hikes in the prices of food and other commodities. The CSOs considered this situation unsustainable, as it made it increasingly difficult for Nigerians to maintain their average standard of living.
The coalition also called on the Federal Government to investigate all fuel subsidy payments made in previous years and recover any illegal payments. They emphasized the need for transparency and accountability in the utilization of funds. Furthermore, they highlighted the drastic reduction in daily fuel consumption, from 66 million to 40 million litres, following the removal of fuel subsidy by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on May 29, 2023. The CSOs believed that a thorough investigation into fuel subsidy activities would expose long-standing scams in the oil and gas industry, providing further reasons why the subsidy should be removed.
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