The President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba, has called for the downward review of the current price of petroleum products in Nigeria.
Wabba made the call on Tuesday while responding to questions from newsmen in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital.
He described the recent increment in pump price of petrol as a means to exploit Nigerians to enrich few oil marketers.
The labour leader added that with the increase, the Federal Government was aiding the oil marketers to enrich themselves at the detriment of the entire Nigerian population.
He stressed that the new pump price was not necessary as the price of crude oil in the international markets had not increased in the recent times, which was one of the reasons given by the oil marketers.
Wabba said: “Essentially, it is about the exploitation of Nigerians as the Federal Government seems to be protecting the oil marketers rather than defending the citizens.”
He said the government should not leave the control of this very important commodity to oil marketers because they said the exchange rate had gone up.
He said that rather, the government should regulate the prices of petroleum products so as to fulfil one of its electioneering promises to Nigerians.
“And if you say it is because of oil price, which has also not gone up in the international markets, then this is double tragedy,” he said.
The NLC President also called for good governance and urged all people in power to ensure good governance so as to address the inequality and poverty rate in the country.
Wabba said: “We need good governance in Nigeria; that is why all of us need to come together to reject some of these obnoxious polices that are meant to exploit Nigerians.
“We will continue to engage the government and very soon, we will roll out plans and actions that we will do to ensure that the right things are done.”
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Wabba was in Jalingo to commiserate with the workers and family of the Chairman of NLC in Taraba State, Peter Gambo, who died recently.”