The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says it is unfortunate that the Government through the NNPCL despite the ongoing meeting of Stakeholders in the oil and gas sector concerning removal of subsidy on petroleum products, went ahead to announce a new regime of prices under a new pricing template.
In statement on Wednesday, the President of NLC described the development as an ambush and runs contrary to the spirit and principles of Social Dialogue which remains the best platform available for the resolution of all the issues arising out of the petroleum Down-stream sector.
It said Government cannot be talking about deregulation and at the same time fixing the prices of petroleum products, and pointed out that the move negates the operation of the free market.
According to the statement, what the government has done is like holding a gun to the head of Nigerian people and bring them under undue pressure, thus undermining the principle of dialogue.
It therefore called on the Federal Government to immediately instruct the NNPCL to withdraw the new pricing template to allow free flow of discussions by the parties.
It stressed that the commitment to the dialogue process was buoyed on the fact that all the parties would be committed to ensuring that it is carried out within the ambits of liberty without undue pressure.
The statement maintained that the release of that Template would not allow for any meaningful dialogue and insists that the NNPC price template be withdrawn so that the dialogue can continue unhindered.
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