Yemi Obafemi
The United Action Front of Civil Society has declares support for the 2 DAY warning Strike declared by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in protest against the hardship imposed on Nigerians as a result of fuel subsidy removal and hike in the price of premium motor spirit (PMS).
In a statement signed by the Head, National Coordinating Center of United Action Front of Civil Society, Wale Okunniyi, disclosed that the organization declared their support for 2 days NLC warning strike which will start on Tuesday, September 5, 2023.
According to the organization, President Tinubu administration has no reasonable justification for insisting on arbitrary fuel price hike when those who pilfered the national treasury in the name of subsidy payment are walking the streets of Nigeria free.
“it speaks to barefaced insincerity for government to subject the citizens to harrowing hardship in the name of fuel subsidy removal and currency floating, which are all conceived in the desperation to extort innocent Nigerians in recouping the huge sums of revenues that have been wasted through poor policy and outright stealing by high profile individuals which should not be beyond being called to account and prosecuted,” civil society said.
The statement reads, “ The leadership of the organised Civil Society therefore wishes to unequivocally decry these mindless policies of the federal government, which have further pushed millions of households that were hitherto managing to cope with their meagre incomes, below poverty line.
“Therefore, compelling our patriotic call on Nigerians in the public and private sectors to team up with the NLC in demanding the reversal of the asphyxiating policies being implemented unilaterally without justification or any concrete economic plan beyond making Nigerians to pay for the corrupt mismanagement of the subsidy scheme, which incidentally has been admitted by government itself.
Speaking on the fuel subsidy removal palliatives that is being financed through World Bank loan which is to be paid back with interest by Nigerians.
The group said, “is another device by the ruling class to further fleece the already pauperised masses of the country in continuation of the culture of profligacy through which the Buhari administration plunged Nigeria into debt being serviced by over 90% of the Nation’s revenue.
“Rather than further push Nigeria deeper into bankruptcy; considering the fact that our Foreign Reserve is currently below 4 billion dollars, which marks the worse downturn in the history of the country’s economy, the Tinubu regime should be demanding accountability from those who mismanaged the fuel importation regime and depleted Nigeria’s Foreign Reserve to an abysmal level.
“it should also be curious that the federal government has commenced disbursements of palliative funds to state governors while it remains silent on the review of minimum wage it promised to Nigerian workers to cushion the effects of subsidy removal. With the minimum wage remaining at N30,000 monthly, Nigerian workers who were grossly underpaid before the hike in fuel price can no longer cope with the harrowing hardship in the country just as millions of unemployed citizens across the states have now been grossly impoverished,” the statement added.
The leadership of the United Action Front of Civil Society also urged the working people to comply with the directive of the Nigeria Labor Congress.
