The Peoples Alternative Movement has said that it would collaborate with the organized Labour to resist the planned increase in the prices of petroleum products, electricity tariff, and the taxation on soft drinks in the country.
The Zonal Coordinator of PAM, Dr Osagie Obayuwana, described the planned increase in the critical products as inimical to the welfare of the citizens.
Obayuwana lamented that the current administration has not taken the deliberate steps to change the disturbing narrative about Nigeria being the poverty capital of the world.
He wondered why the government has not been able to refine crude oil for local consumption as other member nations of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries are doing.
“We all know that Nigeria has for a long time been designated as the poverty capital of the world. There are more poor people per capita than in any other part of the world. To make matters worse, we have been told that the inflation rate in our country is one of the highest in the world so Nigeria has become a land of hardship, a land of hunger, poor diet, poor housing, low self esteem, the unemployment level in Nigerian from the last figures is close to 40 per cent.
“Fresh policy measures of proposed increase in the price of petrol, kerosene, diesel, engine oil, brake fluid, grease and cooking gas, even the price of electricity and tax on mineral drinks show clearly that the Buhari Government and his supporters don’t care about the plight of the poor in Nigeria. But we the poor are not helpless; after all, we as human beings do have our right to self defence.
“Contrary to all the promises they made, they have refused to explain why Nigerian oil cannot be refined in Nigeria as all Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) are doing.”