The President of the National Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has revealed that President Bola Tinubu proposed sponsoring the union’s tour of West African countries where petrol prices are as high as N2,000.
Ajaero made this disclosure during a two-day workshop in Lagos, stressing the need for the government to urgently address the rising fuel prices and their impact on workers’ livelihoods.
He mentioned that the government suggested funding a trip to neighboring West African nations to study their fuel pricing. However, Ajaero insisted that the focus should instead be on preventing fuel smuggling across Nigerian borders.
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“Mr. President also offered to sponsor our trip to some West African countries, where the lowest petrol price is N1,700. He said in Cameroon, petrol is sold for N2,000, and none of these countries have refineries—they source their products from Nigeria,” Ajaero said.
He further added, “We told him to secure the borders because that’s the reason those products are being smuggled. We declined the offer, knowing Nigerians would accuse us of being bribed, rather than understanding it was just for a tour to those West African states.”