The Deputy Governor of Niger State, Comrade Yakubu Garba, has urged the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration to reconsider its position and be humane in implementing painful economic policies in the country.
The deputy governor stated this in his speech during the nationwide protest of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) at the State House of Assembly in Minna on Wednesday.
Garba, who was the immediate past Niger State NLC chairman, noted that, in view of the fact that the policy is causing serious hardship on the people, the federal government can reconsider its stance on the matter.
He called for dialogue as a way of resolving demands between the government and organised labour, while commending the state NLC for the mature way the protest was conducted.
Garba also reassured the state government’s commitment to continue promoting the welfare of the people, adding that organized labour should seek higher salaries and allowances that are permanent rather than palliatives, which are temporary.
According to him, “Labour has spoken loud and clear, and the government will respond to their demands.”
Furthermore, the deputy governor presented the speech of the National President of NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero to the speaker of the assembly for onward transmission to the presidency.
Earlier, the State Chairman of NLC Comrade Edris Abdulkareem Lafene, said the nationwide protest by NLC was to draw the attention of the federal government to the plight of citizens caused by removal of fuel subsidy by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He called on the state government to implement N50,000 as palliatives for all categories of civil servants including pensioners, students and members of the informal sector.
Also, addressing the labour unions, the Speaker, Bar Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, explained that the House had adopted three motions with respect to the removal of oil subsidy.
The motions are upward review of salaries for civil servants, provision of palliatives and the urgent need for the federal government to open its Silos in Minna and sell grains to the people at subsidized rate.