Organized labour rejects N5bn palliative to governors, gives reason

Organised labour has kicked against the federal government's move to release an N5bn palliative package to each of the 36 state governors in Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to curb the effect of the fuel subsidy removal.

According to The Punch, under the auspices of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), the workers said that the governors could not be trusted with such a project.

The organised labour argued that the governors would favour politicians rather than the poor Nigerians that needed the N180bn largess disbursed to the state government to the Nigerian citizens.

On Thursday, August 17, the federal government announced the N5bn palliative to each of the 36 states in Nigeria and 180 trucks of rice as part of its move to cushion the effect of removing the fuel subsidy.

How fuel subsidy removal has affected Nigerians

The fuel subsidy removal has led to immediate and multiple increases in the pump prices of petrol in the country, subsequently leading to the rise in the prices of goods and services in the country and badly affecting its socio-economy.

The organised labour has also staged nationwide protests over the development and insisted that a functioning refinery is the pre-condition for removing the fuel subsidy.

However, Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State announced the federal government's palliative after the meeting of the National Executive Council, which Vice President Kashim Shettima chaired.

Anti-subsidy removal protest: N200k minimum wage, 2 other demands of NLC

Legit.ng earlier reported that the protesting Nigeria Labour Congress had demanded the upward review of the minimum wage to N200,000 as a precondition to ending the nationwide protest.

Ayuba Suleiman, the NLC Chairman in Kaduna State, speaking on behalf of the union, said other demands include the government ensuring the refineries work.

The Congress also demanded the reversal of the fuel price to N180, suggesting that government should continue to pay for the subsidy and increase the minimum wage.