The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), National Union of Pensioners (NUP) and others in separate interviews on Tuesday, lamented the hunger among their members and expressed misgivings about the way the palliatives package was being handled by the authorities.
Last Thursday, the Federal Government had announced the distribution of N180 billion and 180 trucks of rice to the states to ease the subsidy pains but many governors have kept the materials in warehouses while the workers and residents languish in hunger.
The Federal Government announced N5bn palliative for each state of the federation and 180 trucks of rice as part of measures to assuage the pains of the subsidy removal which had led to multiple hikes in fuel pump prices and driven up the prices of goods and services, worsening the poverty level in the country.
Announcing the release of the palliative at the end of the 135th National Economic Council meeting presided over by Vice President Kashim Shettima in Abuja, Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum disclosed that the N5bn was to enable the state governments to procure 100,000 bags of rice, 40,000 bags of maize and fertilizers to cushion the effect of food shortage across the country.
The Assistant General-Secretary, Nigeria Labour Congress, Chris Onyeka, said the delay by the Federal Government in providing its own palliatives for Nigerians was worrisome.
According to him, NLC officials in states were not part of the committee involved in the sharing of the palliatives.
Onyeka said, “We are not involved. How can we be involved? How can we be involved with the governors to share the federal palliatives? We are not part of it. I told you that what they have done is to dash money, N5bn each, to the boys, who are the state governors.”
On whether the labour union was working with states that had their own palliatives, the NLC official said, “For the ones engineered by state governments, our people have been involved since, like in the launching of buses by some states.
“But if it is the Federal Government-driven one, we are not interested. It is not part of our agreement.”
Asked whether the NLC would want to see the Federal Government speed up the provision of palliatives for Nigerians as demanded by many workers, he replied, “Yes, of course. We have been exercising patience, but the delay is becoming worrisome.
Labour faults committee
“There is a presidential committee on that and it is supposed to implement this. The President also promised that he is going to restructure the committee. But as we speak, he has not restructured it and that has not happened. They better hasten up because we still have our plans if they fail to act.”
Onyeka, however, said the NLC was opposed to the N5bn palliative package given to states, alleging that it was ‘’a form of settlement to state governors.’’
He said, “That money was a dash for the boys. We believe the government has used that money to settle the state governors. It is not for the ordinary Nigerian or worker.
“So the possibility that such money will get to Nigerians is very slim and that is the truth. We made it clear that we don’t want any palliative for Nigerian workers and the Nigerian people to be handled by state governors.’’
“We made this very clear to the Federal Government on several occasions. So any money they are giving to them (governors), we are not in support of it,” the NLC official stated.
He added, “But the one for Nigerian people and workers, we are still negotiating and we are trying to work that out with the Federal Government. Although, that is if they are willing to live up to their promises to Nigerians.”
Corroborating Onyeka, the NLC Chairman in Benue State, Terungwa Igbe said labour leaders were not involved in the palliative committee in the state.
Igbe said that contrary to what happened at the national level where labour leaders were involved in the palliative committee, such, he said had yet to be replicated in the state.
He said, “I’m not aware of palliative committee set up in the state here but at the national level, labour leaders were Involved and we are hoping that we will be involved in the state too.
The spokesperson for the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Abdulrazaque Barkindo, could not be reached for comment on the allegations that the governors did not involved the labour leaders in the sharing of the palliatives and the allegations they warehoused the palliatives with little consideration for the suffering masses.
But an official said it was too early to level such allegations against the governors.
He said “It is too early to ask for any accountability or sharing of the paliative, even if you are the one given this palliative it can take up to five months before you can reach out to every part of a state.
“This money was given just last week, so the Nigerian Labour Congress shouldn’t be in a hurry to ask the governors for anything. I am aware that in Adamawa State, government included the NLC in the sharing committee. NLC is not being truthful.”
But ASUP and NUT noted that only the implementation of a wage award would be sustainable for the Nigerian workers and not distribution of grains.
The National President of ASUP, Anderson Ezeibe, argued that distribution of the palliatives through state governors would not be effective as it may be influenced by political considerations.
Moreover, he said, it was not a sustainable means of lifting the people out of the extreme poverty induced by the bad economic situation in the country.
He stated, “The issue of palliative distribution to Nigerians in the form it is taking is not appealing to my union. The process of distribution of food items and other items through governors is not going to be effective as it will also be fraught with unhelpful political considerations in the distribution.
‘’Moreover, it is not a sustainable means of lifting the people out of the extreme poverty induced by the bad economic situation in the country. The government should immediately work with the labour centres to work out a new and acceptable wage structure to cater for workers. Also sectors like agriculture, education, health, transport and infrastructure should be given utmost priority as they have direct bearing on the wellbeing of the people.”
Also speaking, the Secretary-General of the NUT, Mike Ene disclosed that no member of the union had received the palliatives, insisting that a lot was wrong with the process, noting that unscrupulous individuals could hijack the package.
He noted, “I’ve not seen anyone or heard anyone who said he or she has received any form of palliative. There are lots of issues wrong with this distribution. This is something that has been happening over time; the government will have good intentions but some individuals will hijack the whole process. There are situations where those at the local levels manipulate names and transmit them as list for palliative distribution.’’
Ene called for a review of the palliative distribution process, stressing that the surest way to alleviate the situation for the workers is through wage award.
“Now with the pains associated with the subsidy removal, there is a need for the government to actually review its plans. Things are getting expensive day by day. The one form of palliative that can actually be traced easily is the wage award. Add something to the salaries of civil servants to cushion the pains, ’’ he said.
