On Wednesday at 2 p.m., the Federal Government will meet with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) leadership to discuss the upcoming elimination of the fuel subsidy.

This information was provided by Joe Ajaero, the national president of the NLC, on Wednesday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme.

“The government appears to be interested in the conversation. They contacted us last night, and we set today’s (Wednesday) discussion to start at 2 p.m.

“There, all other issues will be discussed because you can’t just say there’s no subsidy and then you are not producing and leave us to the vagaries of the market, to people who want to sell the product they bought for N10 for N100 to maximise profit. We must figure out what to eat if there is no more garri, Ajaero said, adding that Labour has been clear that even if President Bola Tinubu has good intentions, substitutes must be offered.

According to him, the President ought to have inquired about and learned how the removal of fuel subsidies would affect Nigerians on the streets.

The head of the NLC listed several alternatives, among them the repair of the four refineries located in the country and the provision of alternative transportation for Nigerian workers.

“The pronouncement by Mr President is as good as law and if in the process, we make a law that is not practicable, the same people that made the law can look at it,” Ajaero said while calling for a review of the President’s pronouncement.

“Does it bring pleasure to us to say subsidy is gone and people start suffering? Is it not part of leadership for us to look at how the suffering of the people can be reduced?” he asked.