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Yar'Adua won't increase fuel price, Labour assures

Posted by From FRANCIS AWOWOLE-BROWNE and VICTOR CLEMENT, Abuja on 2008/01/08 | Views: 601 |

Yar'Adua won't increase fuel price, Labour assures


Labour yesterday said it was not bothered about the pump prices of petroleum products, despite the rumpus in the international market, saying the susbsiting agreement with the Federal Government does not give room for price adjustment.

Labour yesterday said it was not bothered about the pump prices of petroleum products, despite the rumpus in the international market, saying the susbsiting agreement with the Federal Government does not give room for price adjustment.

Accordingly, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) clarified that price of fuel would not be part of issues to be discussed with stakeholders in today's meeting holding at the instance of the labour and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

The congress stated in Abuja that the carnel of discussion on the state of the industry at the parley will be how government would guarantee and sustain availablity of the products throughout the country.

Deputy General Secretary of the NLC, Mr. Olaitan Oyerinde explained that the meeting with the stakeholders is meant to explore strategies to be adopted by government to ensure that skyrocketing international price of the crude with its attendant implication for home supply does not affect regular and sufficient supply of products.

He pointed out that the pump price is out of the question because the labour believed in the sanctity of the agreement reached with the Federal Government last year on the need to maintain the current price regime till a wholistic review of the situation by all parties later this year.

'The President, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar'Adua is a gentleman, who will always honour his words, there is no doubt that the subsidy will be maintain as agreed while suspending the nationwide strike that attended the last price hike carried out by the former president.

'What we are trying to do in labour is to see how to maintain the current price beyond the stated time in the agreement, neverthless, there cant be fresh increase now and we can't discuss it now because it is not an issue yet," he stated.

Press Secretary in the Ministry of Labour, Mr. Samuel Olowookere confirmed to Daily Sun that the meeting is purely for the industry stakeholders and that his ministry was not involved per se, adding that it would, however, be represented.

He stated that Labour Ministry would be represented by the acting Permanent Secretary, Baba Gidado Mohammed for labour perspective to the issues to be discussed.

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