The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria has rejected the fuel subsidy removal, describing it as a declaration of war on Nigerian people and masses.

A statement issued and signed by the TUC President General, Comrade Peter Esele and the Secretary General, Comrade John Kolawole said: “The Trade union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) rejects without reservation the reported removal of petroleum subsidy by the federal government as announced by the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) executive secretary, Reginald Stanley, which ushered in an anti-people based price of N141 per liter.

“This is unacceptable to us and to the Nigerian masses who have been ambushed by a government they expressively gave a popular mandate to represent some few months back.
“The TUC views this development as a stab in the back by the federal government who only, last week, entered into a dialogue with the organised labour on how best to forestall a looming anarchy in the New Year should the plans materialise. We are surprised that the government could proceed to implement the removal without recourse to the National Assembly who all available indices indicate that they have not given it   any legislative backing neither was it mentioned in the 2012 national budget.

“This action by President Goodluck Jonathan is therefore dictatorial, undemocratic and a total declaration of war on the poor masses of this country who are being punished by an inefficient system that is anchored on few corrupt oil thieves who are major sponsors and backers of government. This is why the government cannot muster enough political will to arrest and prosecute them.

What we expect the Federal Government through the PPPRA to do is to tackle the corruption in the system first before this present action.

“For the avoidance of doubt, TUC insist that until new refineries are built and the old or existing ones are made to function optimally, there cannot be a removal of petroleum subsidy. Therefore, TUC on behalf of the Nigerian workers and the masses have declared a dispute of interest with the Federal Government. The NEC (National Executive Council) of TUC will meet in the coming days to take a firm decision on this issue.”