The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has expressed dissatisfaction with the fuel subsidy removal palliatives implemented by President Bola Tinubu, stating that many Nigerians will not receive sufficient aid, including even one cup of rice.
According to SaharaReporters, the Nigerian government, under Tinubu’s leadership, approved N185 billion in August to provide palliatives to states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), in order to alleviate the economic hardships faced by Nigerians due to the removal of fuel subsidies.
Each state received N5 billion to purchase food items, particularly rice and other foodstuffs, to distribute to the most vulnerable residents.
The distribution method of the palliatives has been heavily criticized, with many Nigerians accusing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of only sharing the food aid among its members. In response, the Labour Union initiated a two-day nationwide strike.
Joe Ajaero, the President of the NLC and the individual who declared the strike action, expressed regret over the inadequate distribution of the food palliatives to combat the effects of the fuel subsidy removal.
During an appearance on a Channels TV program, Ajaero stated, “If you share that N5bn or even the five trucks of rice or grain, many people may not get one or half a cup of rice. If you share the N5bn, many people, particularly within the working class or the poorest of the poor, may not receive even N1,500. Is that considered a palliative?”
Referring to the palliatives as “mere tokenism,” Ajaero emphasized that the aid being distributed to some Nigerians is insufficient to alleviate the impacts of the subsidy removal policy.
He further added, “When you do it, you reduce us to mere tokenism – maybe give us N10,000 for three months and leave people to die. That is not the issue. We have to sit down and consider measures that would genuinely alleviate the suffering of Nigerians. So, if you give state governors N5bn each, what does that amount to if they divide it among themselves?”
Ajaero suggested that if the funds allocated for the palliatives were invested in the public transport system, it would greatly benefit the people.
“For every day a worker commutes from their home to the office and back with reduced transportation costs, they could potentially save N1,000 daily. If they practice this for 28 or even 20 days, they could save approximately N20,000 on transportation alone. This is a policy that would assist even the farmers who transport their goods and services from one location to another.”
