The organised labour in Kwara State has carpeted petroleum products marketers in the state for what it described as the incessant hike in the prices of premium motor spirit also known as petrol and other petroleum products in the state.

It said the research carried out recently showed that the pump price of fuel in Kwara was higher than what was obtainable in neighbouring states, adding that the arbitrary increase was unjustifiable.

According to him, the state is close to Lagos State where petroleum products are loaded and, as such, the price is not expected to be significantly higher.

The Chairman of the state chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress, Aliyu Issa Ore, and his Trade Union Congress counterpart, Joseph Tunde, said this in a joint statement issued in Ilorin to commemorate Christmas celebration.

Petrol was being sold between N250 and N270 per litre by independent marketers at their petrol stations in the state while major marketers including the NNPC, Total, MRS and BOVAS sold the product at N180 per litre whenever it was available.

The statement, which noted that the hike in the petroleum products was telling on the income of workers, urged the government to deploy its machinery to look into the unstable price of PMS and other petroleum products in the state.

The labour movement took a swipe at the independent marketers of petroleum products for their alleged unethical practice that had precipitated hardship for the masses.

The statement read in part, “The organised labour in Kwara State under the auspices of Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress wishes to felicitate the entire workforce and the citizens of Kwara State on the occasion of Christmas celebration.

“However, the movement wishes to draw the attention of the state government to the incessant increase in the price of PMS and other petroleum products by the independent marketers in the state.

“The research carried out by the labour revealed that the pump price in Kwara State is higher than the cost of the product in neighbouring State despite the fact that the state is very close to Lagos State where the marketers upload the products.