Amid the resurgence of long queues at petrol stations in the Federal Capital, Abuja and neighbouring states, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has urged the federal government to keep to its pledge and reopen the old Port Harcourt Refinery immediately.
The union which lamented the persisting hardship Nigerians are facing due to harsh economic policies of government, said the federal government should restore the payment of wage award to workers pending the conclusion of negotiation on new minimum wage.
It noted that some states, including Delta, Anambra , Benue have failed to pay wage award to the workers or provide any form of palliative for its people.
In the same vein, the union listed states that have excelled in the provision of palliative for its people to include, Lagos, Oyo, Bayelsa, Yobe, Kaduna, Rivers, Edo and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Thursday, shortly after the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the union, TUC President, Festus Osifo, said the federal government appears to be reneging on its assurance that the old Port Harcourt Refinery will commence operations by first week of April.
He said that the failure of government to rehabilitate local refineries was responsible for the persisting fuel scarcity tormenting the country .
He said: ‘’Sometime in the first quarter, the 12th annual congress of Nigeria led a delegation to the Port Harcourt Refinery.
Although the inspection, both the contractors and those that are employees of company, they told us clearly that the refinery is going to come into fruition on the 1st week of April .
“Today, we are approaching the first week of April this year. Now, we are approaching the end of April and the refinery production has not resumed in the old Port Harcourt Refinery.
“We wish to, hereby, call on federal government to do everything within its arsenal to ensure that the old Port Harcourt Refinery starts production immediately.
“You could go outside today and you could see cubes everywhere in FCT and in some other neighbouring states. But we certainly believe that if our refineries were working optimally, today we would continue to have enough supply”.
Osifo however commended the recent signing by the President of a new Presidential Order regarding some incentives encourage oil and gas production.
The TUC president further said that the NEC meeting reviewed the progress of negotiation of the new minimum wage with government. He said that TUC was not happy with the slow pace of progress on the matter.
When asked about the common stand of NLC and TUC regarding the amount being demanded as new minimum wage, Osifo said that both labour centres were jointly pushing for the new minimum wage to be pegged at N615,000.
He also said that the expectation that a new minimum wage will be ready by May 1 is no longer feasible, adding that what the union will be doing is to continue to pile pressure on government to conclude negotiation as soon as possible.
“So, we demand that the committee of minimum wage should hasten their activities so that a new minimum wage will be put in place,” he said
Osifo also said that the NEC meeting deplored the recent hike in electricity tariff for customers in band A, describing it as highly inconsiderate.
He said that the fact government took the decision without proper consultation with stakeholders smacked of insensitivity and lack of consideration of the plight of Nigerians.
“For all the 200 million people, there should be stakeholders engagement. And in this case, that was not done at all. And all we have resolved is that government must follow the due process.
“We are a country that is governed by rules. We are a country that is governed by laws. And in everything we do, the rules and the laws must be strictly followed and must be strictly applied. Today, electricity tariffs are being increased,” he said.
Osifo said that the decision to hike tariff failed that many houses in the country were yet to metered by the distribution companies while those with meters do get sufficient power supply to justify the charges placed on them.
“We also have customers in millions who do not have prepaid bills. They still live with estimated billing. What that means is that even if these customers are in the so-called band A areas, you will give them estimated billing. They will be paying for bills while they are at work. They will be paying for bills when everything in their home is switched off.
“They will be paying for bills. When they don’t have lights. They will be paying for bills even when they are on vacations. And their entire household is switched on down. And we think that this is not appropriate.
“We think that this is not right. And government has to revisit it. Part of the demand is that there should be mass metering of every single house in Nigeria and that every household should have a prepaid meter. It is then you will pay for only what you consume. And the estimated billing will become a thing of the past,” he said.
Onyebuchi Ezigbo
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