…By Judah Olanisebee for TDPel Media. Nigeria Labour Congress Rejects Government’s Palliative Plan and Raises Concerns
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has voiced its opposition to the Federal Government’s proposal to distribute N8,000 as palliatives to 12 million households in Nigeria, aiming to mitigate the impact of fuel subsidy removal.
President Tinubu had written a letter seeking approval for an $800 million loan to disburse N8,000 to each household.
The NLC argues that the government’s plan is impoverishing the people further and equates to robbing the Nigerian population to benefit the wealthy.
Disregard for Workers and Path of Dictatorship The NLC expresses disappointment that instead of reciprocating the goodwill of Nigerian workers, the Federal Government is persisting on a path that can be described as dictatorial.
They believe the proposal insults the collective intelligence of the people and undermines the spirit of social dialogue that the government has purportedly alluded to.
Call for Proper Engagement and Review The NLC emphasizes that there is an existing committee between the government and labour to work out the modalities, and the government’s deviation from this process is unacceptable.
If the government continues with these actions under the guise of palliatives, the NLC threatens to reassess its engagement with the government and take matters into its own hands.
Insensitivity of Resource Allocation The NLC criticizes the proposal to allocate N70 billion to National Assembly members and N36 billion to the judiciary, deeming it insensitive, reckless, and a blatant diversion of the country’s resources into the pockets of public officers.
They argue that this pattern reflects the government’s intention to rob the poor to further enrich the already wealthy.
Conclusion: The Nigeria Labour Congress strongly opposes the government’s plan to distribute N8,000 as palliatives and considers it a means to impoverish the people while benefiting the rich.
They condemn the proposed allocation of funds to the National Assembly and judiciary as an unfair diversion of resources.
The NLC calls for proper engagement, adherence to the established committee, and a reconsideration of resource distribution to ensure the well-being of the Nigerian populace.