 We're back with the Breakfast in Plus TV Africa. We're just delving to your second conversation here. Now with the big question we're asking is will there be a repeat of 2012 where you had Ukupala, Nigeria, a social political movement that took to the streets and monitored a second to be very precise of January 2012 and response to the field subsidy removal by the federal government of President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday the first of January 2012. Well the essence of that big question is that the Nigerian Labour Congress as the NLC and the Trade Union Congress, the TUC have threatened to embark on strike action or strike in June against the incoming administration of President-elect Bola Tunibu over the removal of field subsidy. Now the two Labour bodies however said that the only condition not to go on strike is the re-vitalisation of government refineries across the countries and then we have four of these refineries and allowances of modular refineries. Now according to the organized Labour, the failure to do this would bring its opposition to the subsidy removal and mobilise workers to protest against the decision. Now it's important to know that President Buhari had stated that subsidy on patrol would be removed before the end of its tenure on May the 29th of 2023 just in a few moments. Now the President of the National Union of Local Government Employees has said that the Union remains opposed to the removal of field subsidy. Now it feels like a lot of Union are in support of the NLC but it is also important to know that over 1.48 trillion era was reportedly spend on maintaining the countries for refineries between 2015 and 2020 and at the time Sarah had threatened the lawsuit against the President and his administration. The government was also reportedly to have spent 10.23 billion era in June 2020 on three refineries that produced zero crude and also in 2021 the government had approved 1.5 billion that's about 600 billion era to repair the Port Harcourt refinery. Now despite all of this funds the huge spending on the refineries we still have this refineries not working and while field scarcity continue to persist. So this morning we have a guest joining us a Meiji Asuguni who is a former I see that as department president of NLC and industrial relations expert this morning thank you so much for joining us all right then our correction is duly noted but I like to share your thoughts what do you think about this concerns of NLC revitalization of the refineries and also the fact that their plan to oppose the incoming government come June. Yes I think the capture is what the country is giving me the consigns. NLC does not oppose anybody but we oppose anti people's policy and therefore when a president elect has not resumed but had two Nigeria's one of the things he will be doing include removal of subsidy and he has not told Nigeria's how he will fill the refineries. I think that was why he's getting the this preparation in advance. NGC I believe and I know took that decision long ago at a point it was collectively taken with TUC that the only way to force the hand of government do what is right by putting the refineries to work is to reduce them from eating deep again for removal of subsidy because removal of subsidy game goes to who so now that they're paying it at least where it's reduced for common Nigerians but if you are removing it make the product available you cannot remove subsidy on the ground that we see a spotting finish product of PMs that would take the price higher than we are suffering now and I think that is why they are resisting it and every Nigerian will give them back up for that. But I mean we remember that in 2012 there was also you know a protest that was led by prominent Nigerians including you know this current president or this government was opposed to that removal of subsidy and then we're continuing the conversation so if you juxtapose how much we're spanning on subsidy removal I mean to maintain paying subsidy and removing it don't you think that there's a justification that subsidy should be removed the justification of removing subsidy is not even the issue now the issue now is why were they paying subsidy they were paying subsidy because the idea is that upgrade Nigeria spend more on food items and whatever that goes to Petro inflection or price high in Petro affect transportation, affect goods and services and then government decided in their wisdom then to pay subsidy for a while they begin to producing this local product. Unfortunately to today even the 2012 argument our syndrome was at a point became political but the consistency of NIC has been let the product available. They removed subsidy because subsidy is that government has failed to make the product work or run a refinery work and as such taking the product to outside the country to make it refined as added additional price to it and they are saying okay we will pay part of this price to them in Nigeria's be able to procure. Now you have not made the product available for us and you want to remove your responsibility so who are we going to run to? Consider the diesel. The diesel has been regulated completely that there is no more subsidy on diesel. How much are we going to diesel now? The minimum you can get diesel now is 800 naira per liter so that is the pure example of what we are going to PMS. Any kind of marry move their hand and see the door of business in this. Then average of players of that sector would take advantage and freeze the price at will be done to take the primary is just one and the location is in the surplus and you expect somebody in the front not to come and procure from Dan Gute and not say at a higher price and Dan Gute at that point will freeze price at his own way. Don't forget the man and said he's going to spot his product. So nobody we government will have little nothing to do by regulating price for him. So our work is government should not be associating self from his primary duties. Welfare of Nigerians include the cost of well-being. So the government must work. So I think that is the essence that government must pay attention to. There is no contest whether the free coming or the outgoing will be facing it or not. If you are doing what is right you will get the full cooperation of Labour and Nigerians. But if you start on your own vote then your party will be pleased with you. So I want to understand what the interest of Labour you know the Nigerian Labour Congress is here because if there was an opposition to the removal of fuel subsidy in 2012 now up until this moment they're still intention to oppose the removal of fuel subsidy. Now some of the consensus they have raised in recent time is the revitalization. I really don't know if you know the NLC is in sync with what's going on because if you look at the budgetary allocation or the expenditure that this government has been on up until the point where you have some civil society group threatening arrest between 2015 to about 2020 the Nigerian government had reportedly spent 1.48 trillion era on revitalizing our you know refineries. So what exactly is NLC talking about revitalization of you know the refineries because funds and locations have been giving to revitalizing our refineries. So do you think that you know NLC it's even in sync with what's going on? Completely undecided with the current cabinet. What I think we are getting is the agenda of government not not targeted to achieving results because when you when we talk about whether it is revitalized or rehabilitated we are looking at it to overhaul whatever time they use. What NLC is saying is up until now several years to today refineries have been meant to work. These are not refineries that they were not and up until now not under construction. We are working at the point so what happened how can government assist its own facility to be jeopardized only because few persons who want to be spotting this crude oil and make profit by returning half and then claiming the the full balance. We are saying that whether you spend one point or in a good if you move subsidy where will you generate the money to? If you will see it go to a few. We are not saying the movement of subsidy is a crime as a matter of fact it's overdue. It is even criminal from beginning to be assuming to be paying subsidy at the point we say they were not paying. So you don't know who is actually trading with our money. So when they call this value that they have spent this value of money investigate and you'll be sure that not all the money were used for subsidy. And you are telling you the total consumption we are currently consuming and not what is reflected with NLPC. So different figures they don't know what they're doing. So I'm thinking that I'm actually honestly if we want to be very honest with this conversation you want to agree with me that this is this is I mean we resisted Nigerians resisted including the NLPC resisted this particular move in 2012 and some people think that if we had gone ahead with it probably would have actually headed somewhere. But if the NLPC is saying that the reason they would not go and back on that strike if there's revitalization of government refineries was saying that funds have been allocated to revitalize. But these refineries are not revitalized. So exactly what are we saying is NLPC asking the right question and they're demanding should NLPC not be asking where are the funds. The money is that we have allocated to refine you know to revitalize if refineries where are there. How come these refineries have not been you know revitalized. We talk about the time turn around maintenance where is it going. Is NLPC really really pressing the actual issues or they're just you know trying to say hey we want to revitalize not looking at the critical issue itself. Because there's every other time there's plans for revitalization there's turn around maintenance conversation and we're also talking about funds that are released to the effects. Yet the refineries are not working. NLPC has have they really been asking or fighting the actual cost for Nigerians. Talking about having the refineries working and filling the process to the latter. In fact you have just supported the cost of NLPC. Now government are told us repeatedly of fund release for the revitalization and to ensure that these refineries work. Over time this statement has not reflected the actual and that is why NLPC say until we see it work we are not going to entertain any requests of government with regards to refineries in Cuba because that tells you fund has been allocated not just we're not talking about millions of dollars we're talking about billions of dollars have been spent on refineries. Today it's not working. That tells you and I that a corruption is different. So if we don't actually hold the hand of government the way they're holding it now it will not work. Remember of society we rather give them more money. Corruption the way that they channel it. But when has government told us about the workers in this refineries? We have workers the size of workers the number of workers has not reduced to today to they are paying them for work. The government is not working and we're paying staff that government has put in place to today the sector is still free with workers and they are government. We have to go right we will continue this conversation soon because it's very important and would like to you know see we'll have you converse or have this conversation with us. All right then Amici is a former deputy president of the NLC an industrial relations expert he joined us this morning via phone to talk about the consents of you know the NLC. NLC is saying that hey we will embark on strike come June resisting any plan to remove subsidy but again we're saying is NLC asking the actual question if you're asking for revitalization the plans and funds have been approved over time for revitalization should I want to see not be asking what is going on with the funds that have been released for revitalization and how come the refineries are not functioning despite you know those funds that have been allocated and on this premise we're saying we want a functional refinery up until that point we will not because if you say you're asking for revitalization I'm sure there are paperwork and funds to that effect but yet we don't have a functional refinery but that's where we you know take a break when we return we'll be joining the newsroom fourth and news brief at nine o'clock it's important that you follow us on Facebook Twitter and Instagram and do you be part of a conversation via all the social media platforms on youtube or at plus tv africa and plus tv africa lifestyle my name is messia book will have a great morning