By AMOS TAUNA, Kaduna
The Nigerian Labour Congress, (NLC) in collaboration with the Trade Union Congress, (TUC) in Kaduna State, said that the N8,000 palliative announced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is an insult to Nigerians.
Speaking during the joint protest organized by the NLC and TUC in Kaduna on Wednesday, the NLC and TUC Chairmen, Kaduna State, Comrade Suleiman Ayuba and Abdulahi Alhassan Danfulani, said Nigerians are not interested in any palliatives, but measures that would curb the effects of the removal of fuel subsidy, posed on its citizens.
According to Ayuba, “The Nigerian government is not specific on when to alleviate the plights of the citizens, instead it continue to give enumerate obvious challenges in the country without possible solution, priority should be given to the revival of refineries across the nation.”
The union leaders, while rejecting the students loan proposed by the Federal Government, also condemned the hike in public school fees, stressing that free education is their right and called for the reversal of school fees in all public schools to enable the children of the poor have access to education.
He disclosed that the protest is just a one-day national exercise to call the Federal Government to order so they can know that NLC and TUC is still very much around, while calling on members to stay at alert for further instructions from the national headquarters.
He noted that the Union is very much open to dialogue for upper review of 200,000 to cushion the effect of the economic hardship on their members, saying that it is not yet time for the review of minimum wage so as to improve their standard of living.
They also appreciated the Kaduna State Government led by Senator Uba Sani, who was represented at the protest by his Special Adviser on Labour Matters, Adamu Samaila, saying that it is a departure from the state government of the past.
The peaceful protest started at the NLC Secretariat to the Ahmadu Bello Stadium Roundabout at about 7:30am.
