By ONOZURE DANIA
LAGOS—THE National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, has said Federal Government’s planned removal of fuel subsidy was a battle for all Nigerians and not labour alone, even as it said its opposition to the proposal remained unchanged.

Speaking at the commissioning/handing over ceremony of new vehicles for its operational use in Lagos, NUPENG President, Mr. Igwe Achese, said subsidy removal must be treated as a national issue.

Achese said: “If the governors came out to say they are supporting deregulation or they are supporting fuel subsidy removal, it is clear they want the subsidy removed because they want to amass more money to themselves.

”But, the question we have asked the governors’ forum and which it has not answered,is, what happened to the other funds members have been collecting? What happened to the funds that have been mismanaged?

”We asked the forum and we have not got answers till now. Yet, some of the convicted former governors are moving freely in this country, under plea bargaining.”

“The governors are asking for subsidy removal because they know what they will gain. We even gathered that at their last meeting, they were calculating the huge amount of money they will get. Some were talking about N600 billion, others N500 billion, if subsidy is removed.

”Labour will continue to resist subsidy removal and Nigerians will continue to resist it because it is not an issue for labour alone, it is a struggle for all Nigerians. I want to tell you that you will find it difficult to pay transport, you will find it difficult to fuel your car and if you take public transport, you cannot pay. How much is your salary?” Will the removal of fuel subsidy increase your salary? That is the big question you must ask yourself.”

Continuing Achese said Let the government explain why subsidy was introduced to Nigerians. if government is coming up to say we are removing subsidy, first and foremost, it  must be explained why subsidy was introduced and if government explains why subsidy  it was introduced and whether those issues have been addressed, Nigerians will ask the next question including me, because is not  a NUPENG issue.

When you talk about fuel subsidy, is not a NUPENG issue. It is a Nigerian issue because it is not just going to affect NUPENG but Nigerians as a whole. So, it should not be looked at as if it is aNUPENG problem.”