The Organized Labor accused the Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government yesterday of disbanding the Presidential Steering Committee it established to devise palliative measures, among other things, to mitigate the effects of the subsidy removal that have worsened Nigerians’ socio-economic well-being, particularly that of workers.
However, speaking through the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, Organized Labor urged the government to issue a state of emergency on insecurity and address the transportation challenges that workers and other Nigerians are facing in the midst of the rising high cost of essential services due to the removal of the subsidy on gasoline.
Dr. Tommy Okon, the president of ASCSN and a member of the Presidential Steering Committee on Cost of Governance, expressed dissatisfaction with the way the President Bola Tinubu-led administration was handling the planned remedies to mitigate the effects of the removal of the petrol subsidy on Nigerians, describing it as dictatorial and disbanding the committee the government established in the wake of the subsidy.
“The federal government’s cash transfer policy is not the best for the economy,” he declared.
Before taking any action on palliatives, President Tinubu ought to have given the fuel subsidy committee time to present its report. Why were we (organized Labour) allowed to participate in the palliative committee for subsidy elimination if our views won’t be taken into account? I am a participant in the cost of governance subcommittee. We haven’t even spoken once, I can tell you that for free. We are not at all content.
“The cash transfer policy is an International Monetary Fund, IMF, and World Bank idea. In fact, it was N5,000 the IMF and World gave the government as template. When the government brought it to our meeting with them, we rejected it. Even if it N20, 000 or more, it can’t solve anything. How can the IMF and the World Bank be borrowing us money and also telling us how to spend it, not even in the productive sector of the economy, but to share to some people based on the IMF and World Bank’s template.
Regarding the government’s recent declaration of a state of emergency on food, he contended that it would have little to no effect unless the nation’s escalating insecurity was addressed.
He said “Mr. President has declared a state of emergency on food. But that would not guarantee food security because farmers are being chased away from their farms. In some parts of Niger State, for example, farmers are being made to pay terrorists to access their farms. Labour will also want to see a palliative that addresses the transportation difficulty faced by Nigerians as a result of the hike in petrol pump prices which has triggered unprecedented increases in transportation fares across the country. So, if the government focuses on mass transportation, such move will have a positive spillover effect that will cushion the challenges associated with the removal of fuel subsidy.
“The major challenge we are having now is on transportation because once it is taken care of, it will reduce the cost of goods and services. Alternatively, the government can also cluster those in the informal sector, who are into productive ventures, and then pump money into them; that will have a turnover effect that will make them employers of labour, which can also checkmate and reduce unemployment. It can also give them the capital they need and economic strength, which is money.”
