By Ayo Kehinde
Dr. Dipo Fashina and Abiodun Aremu
The Joint Action Front, JAF, has described as unfortunate the ripple effect on Nigerians, the pronouncement of President Bola Tinubu during his inauguration on May 29 that the “petrol subsidy is gone”, arguing that since the “pronouncement the country has been further plunged into crisis as the petrol prices went as high as N600, long queues returned at fuel stations and ordinary people have to walk a long distance to work and other destinations.”
The group said that despite the initial denial by the government that the removal of the ,”so-called subsidy”, had not come into effect, the same government through the NNPC officially increased the prices of petrol from N185 to as high as N557 and also with an indication that, it may go higher.
“This shows that the Tinubu government, whose legitimacy, is still in question, is not only anti-poor but also out, to use deceits as the tools of governance,” said Chairperson of JAF, Dr. Dipo Fashina and Secretary, Abiodun Aremu in a statement on Thursday.
They said, “We call for a mass rejection of this anti-poor policy and other capitalist attacks including the devaluation of naira which Tinubu has planned to unleash on working people, youth and the poor in line with the dictates of World Bank and IMF. Already the hike in petrol prices has compounded the pre-existing economic hardship which itself was as result of the capitalist policies of the APC government. The already excruciatingly high cost of living and the high inflation which is at present over 22 percent will be worsened.
“We call on the masses not to be deceived by the claim that the removal of the so-called petrol subsidy will make more money available for education and infrastructure. With the entrenched corruption in the government and planned implementation of anti-poor neo-liberal economic policies by Tinubu government, there will be no benefit to the masses.
“For instance, Tinubu has planned to introduce tuition fee in universities which will mean high school fees beyond the capacity of many working-class people and the poor. Therefore, whatever money freed up from the removal of the so-called subsidy will be looted and used to further finance the opulent lifestyles of the top government functionaries.
“We must reject the plan to put Nigerians at the mercy of Aliko Dangote whose refinery is in business to make super profit as already shown by high prices of cement beyond the reach of working-class people. The fact is that the newly introduced petrol prices are also meant to guarantee super profit for Dangote refinery whose products are expected to come on stream in July.
“Rather, the masses must insist the government has a responsibility to make our refineries work and build new ones in order to ensure availability of petroleum products (petrol, diesel, kerosene, aviation fuel, etc) at affordable prices to all.
“We welcome the rejection of the wicked hike in petrol price and the call for outright reversal by the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress. But we call on them to go beyond the condemnation and the dialogue with the government to begin mass mobilization of workers, youth and the poor masses for a mass resistance against the anti-poor policy.
“We propose, as the first step, a declaration of a 48-hour general strike and nationwide mass protests, something which can be reviewed if the Tinubu government remains unyielding.
“However, after the declaration there must be adequate mobilization and sensitization activities like leafleting and public meetings at workplaces, communities, markets and schools.
“By and large, we call on the working people and youth to join us in the struggle for a System Change which means an END to the unjust system of capitalism and its failed policies of Privatisation, Deregulation, etc, and its reign of looting and exploitation by the corrupt capitalist ruling cabals in order to bring forth a new POLITICAL and ECONOMIC ORDER. It is only a JUST SYSTEM that can ensure that the wealth of the country is judiciously used to benefit the majority working population (formal and informal sectors) and the oppressed poor!”
