The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a scathing response to the federal government over the sudden hike in petrol prices, accusing it of betrayal. Following the unexpected rise in fuel prices from N600 to about N897 per litre at NNPC stations, NLC President Joe Ajaero expressed outrage.

“We feel betrayed,” Ajaero declared, emphasizing that one of the key reasons the NLC agreed to the new national minimum wage of N70,000 was the assurance that petrol prices would remain stable. “We knew N70,000 wasn’t enough, but the government promised no fuel price increase,” he added.

President Bola Tinubu had reportedly offered two options during wage negotiations: a minimum wage of N250,000 with petrol prices between N1,500 and N2,000, or N70,000 with the current fuel rates. The NLC chose the latter, only to be blindsided by the hike just one month later.

“Here we are, barely a month later, facing a nightmare we can’t explain,” Ajaero said, describing the situation as “traumatic.” He also slammed the government’s approach to economic reforms, accusing officials of ignoring warnings about the fallout from removing fuel subsidies and imposing electricity tariff hikes.

“This price hike is just the first of many sinister policies the government is hiding,” Ajaero warned, insisting that the NLC will not be intimidated.

The NLC has demanded an immediate reversal of the fuel price hike, the release of protestors arrested during recent demonstrations, and an end to what it described as the government’s “culture of terror, fear, and lying.”