The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) declared the World Bank as the number enemy of Nigeria following its request that the federal government should increase the price of the fuel to N750 per litre.

This was contained in a statement issued by the NLC president, Ajaero on Thursday, December 15.

He said: “It is truly a shame that the World Bank has really shown itself to be an enemy of the Nigerian nation. Its continued grandstanding and generation of anti-poor policies and programmes have destabilised many countries of the South, especially nations within the sub-Saharan region.”

During a presentation in Abuja, the World Bank’s senior economist for Nigeria, Alex Sienaert, came under fire from the union for endorsing the unjustified recommendation a rise in fuel prices to N750 per litre which the union rejected.

Ajaeeo added: “We vehemently reject the recent advice by the World Bank urging the Nigerian government to increase petrol prices to N750 per litre.

“We remind the government that Nigeria should not allow foreign entities like the World Bank and the IMF to dictate economic policies that are detrimental to the welfare of its citizens. It is imperative that our leaders look inwards, tapping into the vast resources and human potential within our nation to address challenges and formulate policies that genuinely uplift the standard of living for all Nigerians.”

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The union urged the government to reject foreign influence in economic policies and prioritize the wellbeing of its residents, even as it accused the World Bank of pushing policies that put foreign interests ahead of the welfare of the Nigerian people.

“The difficulties and suffering created by the last hike in the price of PMS which was a product of the advice of the World Bank and its sister institution; the IMF is still ravaging the nation destroying in its wake the nation’s industrial base and domestic manufacturing capacity which favours Western metropoles,” the NLC chairman added.

The NLC further urged the government to turn inward, utilizing human potential and domestic resources to solve problems and raise everyone in Nigeria’s level of living.

The labour union warned against additional rises in PMS costs, citing the gap between worldwide prices and local wages and characterizing such a move as a “suicide pill” that would aggravate the country’s economic predicament.

The union cautioned the World Bank to steer clear of Nigerian economic policies and allow the country to implement its policies that will be of benefit to your citizens.