The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has condemned the ongoing tensions between the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and Dangote Petroleum Refinery, attributing the discord to government policy inconsistencies and alleged fraudulent practices.
Speaking to journalists at Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal II in Lagos on Wednesday, Ajaero emphasised that the conflicts are unwarranted, particularly in a purportedly deregulated economy that should foster competition.
He challenged the rationale behind regulating the pricing of Dangote’s locally produced fuel, stating, “For a product produced here, he didn’t import with dollars, there was no landing cost, and they wanted him to sell it at the same cost as the one they are bringing from abroad. That is fraudulent and unacceptable.”
Ajaero further criticised the government’s attempts to dictate pricing within the private sector, insisting that such actions undermine the principles of a deregulated market.
“Nigerians were made to believe that the sector has been deregulated, and in a deregulated arrangement, there should be choices and competition. So why are you now attempting to regulate how much Dangote should sell his product? Why?” he queried.
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The NLC President stressed that Nigerians must advocate for their rights in this matter, arguing that the government should refrain from intervening in private sector pricing decisions. “When Port Harcourt refinery comes up, let NNPC sell, let Dangote also sell, but when you begin to regulate how much Dangote should sell, that is fraudulent,” Ajaero asserted.
He called for a reevaluation of the regulatory framework surrounding the oil industry to ensure fairness and transparency, reinforcing that the principles of deregulation must be upheld for the benefit of all Nigerians.
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