Senate supports fuel price hike, wants Labour to suspend strike

The Senate has expressed support for the Federal Government’s decision to increase the price of petrol to N145.

The new price was announced last week by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said the policy had become necessary due to foreign exchange shortage.

The policy has also been criticised by Nigerians who have expressed concern over the hardship it brings.

The Nigerian Labour Congress has opposed the policy, threatening to embark on strike from Wednesday, but aviation workers and their counterparts in the oil sector, are backing the policy.

The Senate, after an executive session on Tuesday, announced its decision to support the government.

Giving the report of the executive session, the deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu, said the lawmakers deliberated on the price hike and the threat by the NLC.

“The Senate sympathise with the people of Nigeria on the hardship brought by the hike,” Mr. Ekweremadu said.

Stating further, Mr. Ekweremadu said the Senate resolved to engage the Labour on the need to suspend its planned strike “in order not to ground the system”.

He also said the Senate would engage the government on “how best” the policy could be sustained and implemented.

The Senate, Mr. Ekweremadu said, urged the Federal Government to start implementung the palliative measures as approved in the 2016 Appropriations Act to assuage the suffering of the people.

On Monday, the House of Representatives also urged the NLC to suspend the planned strike and set up an ad hoc committee to interface between Labour and the government.

The House committee is headed by its Whip, Ado Doguwa, and was given five days to submit its report.

(Premium Times)