The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has said that President Bola Tinubu cannot solely take the decision to remove subsidy payment on petroleum products in the country.
The TUC said that the newly inaugurated President should “tarry awhile to give room for robust dialogue and consultation and stakeholders engagement” before making any decision on the “delicate” matter.
The Congress said there are a host of issues that need to be amicably considered and resolved before such a decision can be taken by the President.
“Nigerian Workers and indeed masses must not be made to suffer the inefficiency of successive governments,” the TUC said in a statement co-signed by its President, Festus Osifo; and Secretary General, Nuhu Toro.
On Monday during his inaugural speech at the Eagle Square in Abuja, Tinubu said the era of subsidy payment on fuel has ended, adding that the 2023 Budget made no provision for fuel subsidy and more so, subsidy payment is no longer justifiable.
The fuel subsidy is gone,” Tinubu said, noting that his government would instead channel funds into infrastructure and other areas to strengthen the economy.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has since backed Tinubu on the removal of fuel subsidy.
Fuel queues have since resurfaced across the country since the presidential pronouncement as Nigerians forage for the premium product.
However, the TUC said the President cannot unilaterally take a decision on subsidy removal, saying that there was a reason the immediate past administration of Muhammadu Buhari pushed the “sensitive issue” to the new government.
