NLC Demands Reversal of Petrol Price As Filling Stations Sell Between N1,060 And N1,300 Per Litre in Cross River
Ndifereke BASSEY
Following the NNPC hikes in pump price of Petrol, most filling stations have adjusted their pump price of fuel to between N1,060 and N1,300 per liter, THE BEAGLE NEWS can authouritatively report.
However, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Organised Private Sector have called for the immediate reversal of the hike in the pump prices of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). Findings showed that NNPC filling stations sell for N1,060, some major marketers sell N1,100 while independent marketers sell for N1, 300 per litre within Calabar metropolis.
The price hike is the second in one month and represents about 14.8 per cent or N133 rise, making ot This development comes days after the NNPC decided to terminate its exclusive purchase agreement with Dangote Refinery, giving room for other players downstream to buy products directly from the Dangote Refinery.
Oil marketers said NNPC’s withdrawal as the sole off-taker of petrol from Dangote refinery meant the federal government had systematically stopped subsidy on petrol completely, and indication that the product will be sold to marketers on a willing buyer, willing seller basis.
This development has led to increase in transport fares with the metropolis as drivers now charge between N300 And N500 per drop depending on the assistance.
Drivers Adjust transport fares Meanwhile, drivers and transporters raised the cost of fares after the petrol price hike by NNPCL and other dealers.
A driver, who plies Ekpo Abasi-Ette Agor -Marian axis charge between N300 and N500 while those plying Ekpo Abasi-Watt axis charge N300.
NLC Organised Labour Kick The Nigeria Labour Congress condemned the hike in petrol price nationwide, demanding an immediate reversal of the hike while accusing the government of only focusing on fuel price increments.
The NLC, in a statement signed by its president, Joe Ajaero, described the decision of the NNPCL as an aberration.
Ajaero said: “Even following the logic of market forces, we find it an aberration that a private company (NNPCL) is the one fixing prices and projecting itself as a hegemonic monopoly.
“We challenge the government to go to the drawing board and present us with a blueprint for inclusive economic growth and national development instead of this spasmodic ad holism and palliative policy.
“It needs no stating the fact that the latest wave of increase has grossly altered the calculations of Nigerians once again at a time they were reluctantly coming to terms with their new realities.
“It will further deepen poverty as production capacities dip, more jobs lost with multidimensional negative effects. In light of this, we urge the government to immediately reverse this rate hike as previous increases did not produce any good results. People only got poorer.”
