From left: Chairman, Trade Union Congress TUC, Comrade Akeem Lasisi; Chairman Nigeria Labour Congress NLC, Comrade Hameed Ademola and Governor Dapo Abiodun at a  meeting held at the Governor’s office Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, Tuesday.

In reaction to the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government, Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, on Tuesday met with labour leaders in the state, assuring that his administration is already considering ways of cushioning the hardship imposed on the people.

Speaking in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta during a meeting the labour leaders, the governor admitted that the subsidy removal would have effect on Nigerians, especially the disposable income earners.

The governor therefore promised that his administration would look into ways of ameliorating the negative impact of the subsidy removal on the residents of the state.

Governor Abiodun said: “I called this meeting so that we can rob minds to find different options in view of the recently announced long awaited deregulation of the Premium Motor Spirit PMS, also called petrol by President Bola Tinubu.

“We are not, as a responsible administration unmindful of the consequences that the regulation would cause in terms of its effects on the disposable income of the workers.

“We have noted that the price of Petrol is now N500 from slightly above N200. There is a relationship between cost of PMS and transportation and cost of transportation and cost of goods and services.

“Since the announcement, as the governor and a player in the industry, I have been concerned on the multiplier effects as it would affect workers going to and from work and how it would affect their responsibilities and wellbeing.”

The Governor said it was imperative that both government and the labour leaders sit and come up with implementable options that make life bearable to the people, adding however that the options should not be seen as compensation for the increase in the price of product, but to reduce the impact.

“What obtained in the past was that N4 trillion was spent annually. We had to borrow the money to subsidise our energy cost and it was not efficiently utilised. Our petrol made its way to Cameroun, Benin Republic, Togo and other West African countries around us.

“We are confident that with this action, we can know the true consumption of PMS in Nigeria and the savings can be used for other sectors for the benefit of our people,” he said.

Prince Abiodun observed that though the subsidy removal was a hard decision on the part of President Tinubu, it was imperative as there was no budgetary allocation for it from June 2023.

State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress NLC, Comrade Hameed Ademola, who briefed newsmen after the meeting, said it was at the instance of the governor to find ways of cushioning the effects of the petroleum products deregulation on civil servants and those in the informal sector

Comrade Ademola disclosed that the meeting was divided into committees, which are expected to report back to the Governor Thursday.

He commended the governor for showing concern about the plight of workers in the State workers, saying the gesture would go a long way in meeting their needs.

Those present at the meeting were chairman and secretaries of the Trade Union Congress TUC, the NLC and the Joint Negotiation Council JNC.

Also in attendance were the Head of Service, Mr. Kolawole Fagbohun and the Permanent Secretary, Bureau of Establishment and Training, Mrs. Lydia Fajounbo.