Workers in the oil and gas sector on Thursday, assured Nigerians that the proposed increase in petroleum products prices would not be effected without the approval of labour unions.
Reacting to the proposal by the National Economic Management Team (NEMT) for the government to increase the petrol price from N65 to N100 per litre, the workers said the body was in no position to make such a suggestion.
The oil and gas workers belong to the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
Mr Babatunde Ogun, the PENGASSAN president, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the NEMT was usurping the responsibility of another government agency.
“The team is not in the proper agency to make such proposal. The Petroleum, Products Pricing, Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) is the one charged with the responsibility to do so,” he said.
The union leaders explained that before the government could increase the price of petrol, certain fundamentals needed to be considered and certain things put in place.
According to him, some notable Nigerians were appointed members of the committee on deregulation of the oil and gas sector and their input must be considered before any price increase.
Ogun cautioned that if the fuel price was increased without the government implementing certain yearnings of workers, it would not be acceptable to Nigerians.
Another labour leader, Elijah Okougbo, NUPENG General Secretary, said that the union would protect consumers from any increase that would have an adverse effect on them.
“We are keeping our eyes open, but do not think that the government will increase the price of fuel from N65 to N100 without the knowledge or contribution of the unions,” Mr Okougbo said.
He noted that the NLC was represented on the committee set up by the government to deliberate on deregulation and price increase of petroleum products, which had not concluded its assignment.
“The committee is still sitting and even the issue was debated at the NEC meeting of the NLC in Kaduna. No increase was mentioned,” he said.