The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and former Vice President Abubakar Atiku have warned that the recent increase in petrol price has pushed Nigerians to the breaking point.
NLC President Joel Ajaero called on Nigerians to join the government’s quest to interrogate the petrol price hike, stating that the increase has led to an astronomical rise in transportation and food costs, straining household budgets.
Atiku noted that the planned Value Added Tax (VAT) increase would worsen Nigeria’s cost-of-living crisis, exacerbate economic growth, and deepen domestic hardships.
Human rights lawyer Femi Falana urged the federal government to complete rehabilitation of the nation’s refineries by September 2024 or take legal action against contractors for breaching their contracts.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) asked President Bola Tinubu to direct the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to reverse the “illegal and unconstitutional” petrol price hike.
The NLC achieved a landmark agreement on the N70,000 national minimum wage, signed into law, but implementation remains elusive.
Atiku criticized President Tinubu’s policies, citing regressive and punitive measures that ignore extravagant excesses while heaping burdens on the impoverished.
Falana condemned delays in completing the $2.9 billion rehabilitation contracts for Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries.
SERAP urged President Tinubu to probe allegations of corruption and mismanagement in the NNPC, including the spending of $300 million ‘bailout funds’ and $6 billion debt owed suppliers.
The organization emphasized the government’s constitutional and international obligations to ensure minimum living conditions compatible with human dignity.
