The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has thrown its weight behind public workers’ demand for a reduction in petrol price to N500 per litre, warning that the current price is worsening the cost-of-living crisis.
HURIWA said the proposed three-day warning strike by public servants from October 2 should prompt the Federal Government to urgently review the country’s petrol pricing regime.
In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, the group said workers were struggling with high transportation costs, rising food prices and declining purchasing power.
The Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) had threatened to embark on a warning strike if the government failed to address its demands, including a reduction in petrol price to N500 per litre and payment of a wage award.
The workers are also seeking the immediate constitution of a tripartite committee to begin negotiations for a new national minimum wage expected to become due in 2027.
HURIWA urged the government to treat the demands as a broader economic issue rather than merely a labour dispute.
It called for a comprehensive review of the factors determining the pump price of petrol, including crude oil supply arrangements, domestic refining, importation costs, taxes and distribution margins.
The association also demanded greater transparency in petrol pricing, urging regulatory authorities to publish the components of the current pump price.
HURIWA said Nigerians should be able to understand why they were paying about N1,500 per litre for petrol despite the country’s crude oil production and growing domestic refining capacity.
It further called for targeted relief for workers and vulnerable households, improved public transportation and measures to reduce transportation and food costs.
The group warned that continued economic pressure could further erode workers’ purchasing power and deepen hardship across the country.
HURIWA also urged Nigerians to pursue their demands peacefully and lawfully, stressing that citizens had constitutional rights to peaceful assembly and expression.
The association said the government should urgently address the concerns of workers and low-income Nigerians struggling to meet the rising cost of essential goods and services.
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