Civil servants under the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC), Trade Union Side, have urged President Tinubu to, as a matter of urgency, bring down the price of petrol to N500 per litre to cushion the impact of the worsening economic hardship on workers and their dependants.
In a letter addressed to President Tinubu and signed by its National Secretary, Comrade Olowoyo Gbenga, the workers said the latest increase in petrol prices, which they put at N1,430 per litre and above in some locations, has further worsened the economic hardship many Nigerian workers battle with.
The council said the continuous increase in fuel prices since the removal of petrol subsidy has invariably led to the increase in transportation, food, housing, healthcare, education and other essential expenses.
“The Federal Government should provide intervention that will trickle down to all Nigerians by making fuel available with affordable amount as low as N500, at the amount the fuel was being sold when subsidy was first removed in the year 2023,” the council stated.
It argued that stabilising petrol prices would have a wider effect on the economy because of the fuel’s direct connection with transportation, food distribution, production and other economic activities.
According to the council, “the current hardship being faced by the hapless Nigerian workers is caused by the astronomical increase in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to as much as N1,430.00, or more per one litre.”
Beyond the demand for cheaper petrol, the civil servants asked President Tinubu to approve an immediate Wage Award and upward review of salaries and allowances for public servants. The council called on the government to immediately constitute a committee to commence negotiations for the 2027 National Minimum Wage.
It proposed a minimum monthly salary of N500,000 for an officer on Grade Level 01 Step 1, describing the proposed figure as necessary to reflect prevailing economic realities.
The workers said negotiations should commence early enough to ensure that the new wage takes effect from January 2027, warning that delayed negotiations had historically resulted in delays in implementation.
