Tinubu Govt Has Not Made Any Effort On Cash Transfers, Fixing Refineries, Others – NLC

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has lambasted the Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government for failing to meet its demands following the removal of fuel subsidy.

Naija News reports that following the economic hardship brought about by the fuel subsidy removal, the labour union demanded the review of the minimum wage, provision of a workable roadmap to the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) alternative, fixing of the country’s refineries, and payment of lecturers’ salary arrears among others.

Speaking on Channels TV’s Politics Today on Monday, NLC President, Joe Ajaero, expressed frustration over the lack of effort on the part of the government to meet the union’s demands.

Ajaero said the government has refused to address issues like cash transfer and the provision of buses for workers to cushion the effect of the increase in petrol price.

He stated: “They have not made any efforts on any issue.

“Even the issue as simple as cash transfer or bringing buses on the road, nothing has happened to them. So, it’s a lack of willingness, and we can’t muddle up all these issues.

“Then you call a minimum wage a wage award. If anybody is looking at the issue of wage award as minimum wage, then there’s confusion within that class of people.”

Citing a 2021 agreement on CNG vehicles reached with the former Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, the NLC leader argued it was clear that a million vehicles could be converted within three months.

Ajaero decried the Federal Government’s 2024 projection to deploy CNG buses for a more affordable mass transit system.

He said: “If anybody is telling you that until next year, nothing could be done, I’m telling you that the person is not telling us the truth.

“What is so peculiar about next year when these processes will start? Is it that there are no CNG vehicles that can go onto the road, or we can’t have some stations, even with IPMAN saying that their filling stations are available?”