The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said that the Nigerian government must meet its demand towards cushioning the effect of fuel subsidy removal.

Development Diaries reports that the NLC, ahead of its 19 June meeting with the Bola Tinubu-led government, said that it would not hesitate to mobilise workers for industrial action if the government does not meet its demands.

Recall that the federal government had met with labour unions, NLC and Trade Unon Congress (TUC), on 05 June, 2023, resolving to reconvene on 19 June to agree on implementation framework.

The labour unions are demanding among others that the government reverts to the old price of N195 per litre for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly called petrol, before any negotiation could begin.

Furthermore, they demanded a minimum wage increase for workers from N30,000 to N150,000–N200,000 to accommodate the hardship caused by subsidy removal.

The labour unions also demanded that concrete measures be put in place to cushion the effect of the fuel price increase which is already causing an increase in the cost of goods and services.

It is no news that the increase in the cost of fuel has inflicted unbearable hardship on Nigerians, with the 133 million Nigerians who are multi-dimensionally poor, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), sinking further into extreme poverty.

Development Diaries urges the government to act fast about providing interventions that would help in cushioning the effect of the subsidy removal.

We also urge the government to communicate to Nigerians its plans and projections concerning the subsidy removal, and what Nigerians are to expect in the long run.