Group Says NLC Fuel Subsidy National Protest Baseless

The Integrity Youth Alliance has condemned the proposed Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) National Protest slated for February 1, 2022, against the planned removal of fuel subsidy.

In a press release on Saturday, 18th December 2021 signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the Alliance, Danjuma Lamido, he said that the issue of subsidy removal is a constitutional matter since the signing of the Petroleum Industry Act in August 2021 by President Buhari took effect.

“The Nigeria Labour Congress should know that it will be illegal for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to subsidize fuel from February 2022 because there is no provision for subsidy in the PIA, the statement said.

The statement read, “Nigeria Labour Congress will have to go back to the National Assembly and get both the Chambers to repeal the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 signed into Law by President Buhari on August 16, 2021 so that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited will continue to pay subsidy on fuel.

“The NLC should focus more on the activities of State Governors as most of them are incompetent in running their States as vibrant economic units, the statement said.

The Group further said that “Subsidy removal, will no doubt give states Government more Federation Allocation and the more reasons Labours, Civil Society Organisations etc need to focus more on accountability and transparency in utilization of allocations to State and Local Government across Nigeria.

“There is no doubt the the Federal Government is promoting local capacity in refining petroleum products for domestic use such as Dangote Oil Refinery Company, Waltersmith Refining & Petrochemical Company Limited, OPAC Refineries, Niger Delta Petroleum Resources, BUA Refinery & Petrochemicals and Edo Refinery and Petrochemical Company Limited, the statement concluded.