The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has urged the Federal Government to introduce measures to cushion workers and households from the impact of the latest increase in petrol prices.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero, called for the immediate provision of reasonable wage awards to workers as part of measures to create a buffer against rising living costs.
Ajaero also urged the government to supply sufficient crude oil in naira to local refineries and expand the country’s storage capacity to strengthen energy security and prepare for emergencies.
He made the demands in a statement issued in response to the increase in petrol pump prices to N1,430 per litre.
The labour leader said the latest increase was a matter of “serious concerns”, warning that higher fuel prices would worsen pressure on workers and households.
“We are really worried about the increasing cost of petrol prices throughout the country,” Ajaero said.
He noted that petrol was selling for about N1,430 per litre in major cities, while prices were higher in areas that were more difficult to access.
According to him, the rising cost of petrol was affecting wages, transportation and the general cost of living.
“This has caused huge harm not just to wages but also to how we feel as a people and as a nation. When transportation costs increase, it affects many other things too, like school fees, rent, import taxes, and the prices of food and other basic items,” he said.
Ajaero warned that the rising costs were increasing poverty and putting further pressure on living standards.
He said the latest increase had occurred at a time when efforts to encourage marketers to reduce pump prices in line with international crude oil prices were beginning to produce results.
The NLC president therefore called for immediate government action to reduce the impact of the development on workers and the wider economy.
“As part of creating this buffer, we ask the government to quickly provide fair wages to workers; sell enough crude oil in Naira to our local refineries; and increase our national storage capacity to handle energy emergencies and ensure security,” he stated.
Ajaero said the measures would also support job creation, economic value and efforts to address emerging security challenges.
