Revolutionary Socialist Movement (RSM) has called on the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) to mobilise workers to reject the “anti-people policies of President Bola Tinubu”.
The movement condemned the recent hike in fuel price, noting it is the third time within less than a year that the fuel pump price will be increased amidst the economic hardship imposed on the ordinary people of Nigeria by the government.
Its Publicity Secretary, Comrade Salako Kayode, in a statement signed on Sunday, stressed that the piecemeal new minimum wage has been eroded by inflation, adding that the two labour movements must announce days for mass strike actions and protests.
According to RSM, it is time to build a working people defence committee across all sectors to stop intimidation by the government.
“According to news reports, the National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has commenced full deregulation of the downstream sector by increasing petrol price to between N998 per litre in Lagos and N1,100 per litre in Abuja and other parts of the country. The recent increment again underscores our position that the Tinubu/APC regime cannot solve the numerous problems confronting Nigerians,” the statement reads in part.
According to the organisation, “the policies the regime has implemented have sent millions of Nigerians to abject poverty”.
RSM condemned the “continued attack on ordinary people and demanded the immediate reversal of the fuel pump increase”.
It said, “Nigeria has enough crude oil to meet its needs, presently the four refineries that Nigeria has are moribund and attempts to repair them have resulted in massive looting.
“Both past and present governments in Nigeria must be held responsible for billions of dollars that been allocated to repair refineries and were looted; not only that the fact that despite that a newly built refinery by Aliko Dangote didn’t stop increment in fuel pump price exposed the gang-up against Nigerians and profit motive of such refinery.”
It accused Tinubu’s administration of selling an illusion that once Dangote refinery commences the production of petroleum products, the petrol price would crash.
“Now opposite is the case as we witnessed today. This clearly shows that privatization cannot solve the economic problem we are facing in Nigeria,” it said.
“We consider this move by the government as act of wickedness and total lack of respect for the citizens. The Nigerian government cannot continue to rule us like a conquered people, we must rise and fight back.”
It called on the “leadership of the NLC and TUC to mobilise workers to reject these anti-people policies”.
“They must not pay lip service to the struggle on the ground. The piecemeal new minimum wage practically has been eroded by inflation. The two labour centres must announce days for mass strikes and protests. It is time to build a working people defense committee across all sector to stop the intimidation by the government,” the statement added.
SaharaReporters reported on Wednesday that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) had raised the pump price of fuel from N897 per litre to N1,030 in Abuja; from N855 to N998 in Lagos; N1,070 in North-East; N1,025 in other South-West states; N1,045 in South-East; and N1,075 in South-South.
Meanwhile, the NLC said its National Executive Council meeting will hold next week to determine its next line of action.