Removal of fuel subsidy: Organised labour'll engage govt, collaborators - NASU

THE Non-AcademicStaff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) has warned that the organised labour will not be tired of engaging government and its collaborators, should the government go ahead with the plan to remove fuel subsidy.Speaking at the opening of the fifth Quadrennial National Delegates Conference of the union, in Abuja, on Tuesday, NASU president, Comrade Ladi Iliya, said subsidy was not a taboo as governments all over the world were involved in subsidy, adding that the problem in Nigeria was that the refineries were not working.Comrade Iliya warned: 'As a union, we will never be tired of engaging government and their collaborators in the ritual of increase of prices of fuel and other petroleum products, which they prefer to be called removal of fuel subsidy.'She added: 'Subsidy is not a taboo. All over the world governments are involved in subsidies. It may be in agriculture, health, social security, etc. Nigeria's own is in fuel. The real issue for worry is why our refineries are not working.'The answer is that the refineries are not working because over the years some so called powerful individuals, who the government prefers calling a cartel, do not want them to work because they are benefiting from the 'subsidised' importation of fuel.'Comrade Iliya regretted that rather than face the reality, the government was busy using public relations consultants, who are now smiling to the banks 'with the proceeds from the opportunity given them to try and misinform the rest of us again on the issue of fuel subsidy.'The General Secretary of NASU, Comrade Peters Adeyemi, also said it was not morally permissible to throw back the consequences of lack of political courage on the citizens who are already subjected to unimaginable forms of poverty.
Click here to read full news..