By Francis Ogbuagu
The Chairman of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, Edo State Council,Comrade Marshal Ohue has described the recent increments in Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), Value Added Tax(VAT) and electricity tariff as the height of insensitivity by the Buhari government.
The Buhari administration Wednesday announced an increment in Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from 148.00 per a litter to 151,56 per a litter, electricity tariff was hiked from 30.23 per kwh to 62.23 per kwh,a 100% increment.
In the same vein, Value Added Tax (VAT) was hiked from 5% to 7.5%, a 50% increment. According to report,these were conditions set by World Bank before it approved a $750 millions dollars electricity reform loan for Nigeria. The loan was approved in June this year.
Comrade Ohue made this observation on Thursday,through a telephone interview with our Correspondent in Benin City, the Edo State capital. According to him,at time when other countries are giving paliatves to it’s citizens, other countries are finding ways to cushion the hardship caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, the Nigerian Government had just added money to fuel,it shows the government does not mean well for Nigerians.
He called on Nigerians to wake-up to their responsibility,as the 30,000(Thirty Thousand Naira) minimum wage had been taken from them by the government.”I call on Nigerians to wake-up,as the 30,000 minimum wage had been taken away from them.When other countries are giving paliatves to their citizens, when other countries are seeking ways to cushion the effect of hardship causedby the Coronavirus pandemic.
In Nigeria, we woke up to see a surprise,an additional suffering for the citizens of this country,How can they say fuel is 151 per litter for now, you can imagine the multiplying effect. Somebody will go to the market and buy a bag of rice and increase the price, because of the cost of transportation.To us the burden is going to be much on Nigerians workers, because the woman who sells will transfer the cost on the buyers.”
“The salary of Nigerian workers remain the same,in a system like this, an increment is uncalled for and it goes to show that the government does not mean well for Nigerians”.
On whether the Trade Union Congress (TUC)and it’s allied forces will embark on a strike action to protest the increment on Petroleum products,VAT and electricity tariff ,he said, there is a process to be followed,according to him, the NEC and SAC of TUC will be the ones to sit and decide what action to take.
“The suprise just came,and there is still consultation on whether strike will be the best option,TUC and NLC will have to look at it and take a stand.You know, you don’t take such a decision in a hurry. I guess they are looking into it and they will come up with a white paper, but I bet you,they will look into it and take a stand.” He said.
