Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged the federal government to reconsider the proposed household palliative, ranging from N8,000 to 12 million recipients.
President Bola Tinubu‘s recent request to the Senate for an $800 million borrowing approval aims to transfer N8,000 per month to 12 million impoverished and low-income households over six months, potentially benefiting about 60 million individuals.
The intention behind this palliative measure is to alleviate the impact of petrol subsidy removal on vulnerable citizens, particularly the poor masses. However, the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, expressed concern about the lack of proper stakeholder consultation on significant national matters. Ajaero criticized the government’s decisions, which, according to him, have further impoverished the population.
The NLC strongly opposes the Tinubu-led administration’s plan to obtain a N500 billion external loan from the World Bank to fund the proposed palliative. They view this move as a misguided attempt to address the fuel price increase issue. Additionally, the proposal to allocate large sums of money to members of the National Assembly and the judiciary was deemed insensitive and a misuse of public funds.
Ajaero and the NLC believe that these proposals do not reflect democratic principles and are not a result of genuine social dialogue among key stakeholders. Instead, they see them as benefiting the rich at the expense of the poor, reflecting an unfair distribution of resources.
The NLC’s stance is firm; they do not want to endorse or legitimize the government’s actions that have caused hardship to the people. They warn that if the government persists with these measures, they may be compelled to reevaluate their engagement with the government on this issue and take appropriate action.
In conclusion, the NLC calls for more inclusive and transparent decision-making processes that prioritize the welfare of the citizens, especially those in vulnerable circumstances, rather than benefiting the wealthy elite.
