FG meets with labour leaders over petrol price hike

FG meets with labour leaders over petrol price hike

The Federal Government on Wednesday met with the leadership of the Organised Labour at the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, Abuja. Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, led the Federal Government’s side; while the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero; Trade Union Congress (TUC) Secretary General, Nuhu Toro; led the Organised Labour team.

The Minister of State for Labour, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha; Minister of Finance, Wale Edun; and Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu; were all in attendance. Although the agenda of the meeting was not made public, the Organised Labour has been unhappy with the recent hike in the pump price of petrol, electricity tariff, galloping inflation, and the high cost of living in the country.

Last week, retail outlets owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) adjusted the pump price of petrol in Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. In Lagos, NNPCL outlets now sell a litre of the essential commodity for ₦998, about ₦150 higher than the initial price of ₦855. In Abuja, the situation has not been anyway different as NNPCL retail outlets hiked the price of the essential commodity from ₦897 to ₦1,030.

The fresh increase followed the September 2, 2024 increase by the NNPCL. The retail company had hiked the price per litre of petrol from ₦568 to ₦855, sparking outrage. The price per litre of petrol was raised from ₦184 to ₦568 last June.