Nigeria would burn if subsidies are removed, NLC warns

Following the announcement that the outgoing government of President Muhammadu Buhari had left the decision of removing the petrol subsidy to the incoming government, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has warned that those pushing for the removal of subsidies in Nigeria want to set the country on fire.

NLC asserts that the emphasis should be on domestic petroleum product refining and claims that anyone considering the elimination of subsidies at this moment intends to blow up the nation.

Emma Ugboaja, the general secretary of the NLC, said these things during a conversation in Lagos. She also said that no one should pressure Nigeria’s workers and masses into paying more for fuel under the guise of subsidy.

He forewarned that Organized Labor would reject a pay increase in petrol price in the form of subsidy removal.

He said: “It will be uncharitable in 2023 for any government to be talking about subsidy or no subsidy for a product that is naturally and thoroughly well-endowed in Nigeria.

“It smirks of wickedness for us to be discussing subsidy as an issue rather than discussing production. We are discussing subsidy as an economic theory rather than discussing production.

“The energy and resources that people are putting into discussing subsidy show a lack of focus. It shows a lack of seriousness and a lack of appreciation of what governance should be.

“If in 2023, rather than getting people that will make proper use of our natural endowment, we are busy discussing the cosmetic challenge of subsidy or no subsidy, it is absurd.

“One would have thought that people should be setting before the incoming government a genuine challenge on how to move Nigeria forward.

“Not for us to continue in the rigmarole of vicious, musical cheers and absurd comedy of subsidy or no subsidy. We cannot be people that do not respond to records.”