Niger State deputy governor, Comrade Yakubu Garba, on Wednesday, joined the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to protest and demand an upward review of salaries rather than temporary palliative measures.
Garba stated that the upward review of workers’ salaries across all levels would better cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal on citizens; hence the planned palliative initiative would not be sustainable.
He noted that while NLC was not part of the policy formulators, it must be allowed to check the government’s actions at all levels.
The former chairman of the NLC in Niger State said:
“Labour is not against the government. If there is any sincere driver of government policies, it is organised labour. But labourers are not leaders who make policies.
“So, any policy that government would formulate should have a human face so that the masses do not suffer”.
He said the best way the government would address the hardship citizens face was an upward review of salaries rather than temporary palliative measures.
He added that the state government was working on ways in collaboration with the House of Assembly to provide opportunities that would cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy on citizens of the state.
Also, the state NLC chairman, Idris Lafene, said the labour union would not meet its demands.
He said part of its demands from the government was the payment of N60,000 palliative to all workers across all levels in the state.
