Subsidy Protest: I share in your pains, Gov AbdulRazaq tells labour unions

Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has said the state government has rolled out several measures designed to ease the inconveniences of fuel subsidy removal for its workers and the general public. While addressing the labour unions who presented to him a protest letter over the subsidy removal, AbdulRazaq commended labour for its peaceful protest and aspirations as representatives of the Nigerian workers. The governor, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Kayode Alabi, said the message from Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) was loud and clear and would be delivered to President Bola Tinubu. “We acknowledge that this is a tough moment for everyone and we share in the temporary pains of our people,” the governor said. He added that his administration empathises with the people and workers and would do more in addition to the moves already made by the state government to ease their pains. AbdulRazaq explained that, as a palliative measure, grains were being purchased from the Federal Government and would soon be distributed to vulnerable households, including labour unions and affiliate organisations. The list of beneficiaries, he said, would be inclusive and the process would involve all key stakeholders in the community. The governor further confirmed the approval of the support for students and security agencies, which was built on what was earlier announced for all categories of workers in the state. He said free transportation had earlier been arranged for tertiary students in the state. “I call on the NLC to further support and work with government to implement key economic reforms for sustainable growth alongside specific palliatives until things stabilise,” the governor said. He urged NLC to bear with the government and continue to hold talks so that everyone involved could pull through the phase in a way which would sustainably benefit the country. “There may not be easy solutions, but Nigeria will come out of this stronger and better if everyone endures and works together,” AbdulRazaq added. The State Chairman of NLC, Comrade Muritala Olayinka, said workers were facing a lot of challenges due to the removal of fuel subsidies. He urged the state government to come quickly to the aid of the people in order to lessen the pains on the people and business concerns.

Subsidy Removal: Organised labour in Nasarawa joins nationwide protest

The organised labour in Nasarawa State has joined the nationwide protest against the hike in the price of petrol in the aftermath of the Federal Government’s removal of fuel subsidy. The unions, consisting the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), led the protest march from Total Filling Station, Lafia, to the Office of the Deputy Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe. Speaking at the event on Wednesday in Lafia, Comrade Ismaila Oko, NLC Chairman, called on the Federal Government to reconsider the action in view of the hardship being experienced by the workers and the masses. The NLC chair said that the Federal Government should immediately take measures that would improve the lots of Nigerians before things get out of control. “Since the subsidy was removed, workers now spend their entire salaries on transport fares to their offices. “Workers can no longer cater for the school fees of their children, feed their family members and meet up to other responsibilities in the family,” Oko said. On his part, Comrade Mohammed Doma, TUC Chairman, urged the government to act fast to address the fuel hike. He wondered why the citizens of a country that was producing petroleum would be buying petrol at an exorbitant price that the citizens could not afford. “Our salaries cannot take care of our transportation to our offices, we are suffering,” the TUC Chairman noted. The union submitted a protest letter to the Head of Civil Service, Ms Abigail Waya, who lauded them for conducting themselves peacefully. Waya said that already both the Federal Government and the Nasarawa government had constituted committees to work out palliatives for the citizenry. She promised to brief Governor Abdullahi Sule about their issues and to submit their letter to him.