The Niger State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has opposed the Palliative Distribution Committee established by Governor Mohammed Bago.
The council strongly rejected Bago’s approach to palliative distribution, citing the distressing conditions faced by the working class and pensioners in Nigeria, particularly in Niger State.
In a press conference on Monday, the state chairman of the NLC, Idrees Lafene, and the Trade Union Congress counterpart, Ibrahim Gana, expressed disappointment that the working class and pensioners were excluded from the initial phase of the palliatives.
Gana stated that there was an agreement between the state government and organized labor regarding the palliative disbursement.
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The statement read:
“The deliberate plan by the Niger State Government to skim out the working class and pensioners in the palliatives has triggered severe tension among members of organized labour that could have a negative effect on the overall productivity of the working class.
“Although we identify with the Governor on his efforts to be accountable to Nigerlites, as exemplified in his address on the subject of palliatives, the decision to exclude the working class and retirees in the first phase of the planned palliatives stamps logic in the head and will not be accepted by the working class, who toil daily to create wealth for the state.”
The State Administrative Council of the organised labour therefore issued nine demands.
Their demands read:
“Payment of N50,000 on a flat rate basis as palliative to all working class and retirees in the state and LGAs; suspension of PAYEE until further review of the minimum wage; and immediate implementation of a minimum pension based on the N30,000 national minimum wage for retirees in the state and LGAs.
“Others are monitoring and enforcing price control measures on essential commodities, completing the rehabilitation of infrastructural facilities across the state and LGAs, and improving the security situation in the state and LGAs, with special emphasis on encouraging local vigilantes, among others.
“Despite the rising inflation, insecurity, and hunger that greeted the untimely removal of subsidy on PMS, the Federal Government has refused to dialogue with organised labour in good faith on options to cushion the agony and hardship faced by the masses of Nigeria, especially the working class.
“To press home our demands, the national headquarters of the NLC has directed workers in the 36 states and the FCT to down tools in a two-day warning strike on Tuesday, May 5, and Wednesday, May 6, to test the ‘microphone’ in preparation for a full-blown strike. Niger State organised labour has already mobilised workers to comply fully and comprehensively.”
