Organized Labour Warns Nigerian Government Against Planned VAT, Petrol Price Increase

Organized Labour Warns Nigerian Government Against Planned VAT, Petrol Price Increase

The Nigerian Workers, coalescing into Organized Labour, have rejected the planned fuel subsidy removal and increase of the Value Added Tax (VAT).

They have also called for a rejigging of the country's security architecture.

Speaking at the May Day Celebration, held at the Eagle Square, the group said any increase in the VAT and pump price of petrol would worsen the poverty in the country. 

Ayuba Wabba, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and Bobboi Bala Kaigama, President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), jointly read the address to the workers. The event was attended by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, who represented President Muhammadu Buhari, Senator Victor Umeh, Winifred Oyo-Ita, the Head of Service of the Federation, and thousands of workers. 

“Organized labour in Nigeria is perturbed at the recent return of long queues to petrol stations in many of our cities. We believe that the current chaos was induced by the unsolicited advice by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that our government should stop subsidizing PMS. 

“Well, what the IMF means by subsidy removal is increase in the pump price of petroleum products and the cost of government’s failure to the masses. 

“The working class in Nigeria notes that the intervention of the IMF in Nigeria has always been about three issues — the removal of the so-called subsidy, petrol subsidy, naira devaluation and opening of our borders to allow the influx of foreign goods."

The workers called on all political leaders at all levels of government to rededicate themselves to the task of governance by demonstrating genuine empathy and affinity to the suffering of the Nigerian people.

LABOR/WORKERS' RIGHTS

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SaharaReporters, New York



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Source: Organized Labour Warns Nigerian Government Against Planned VAT, Petrol Price Increase