The Bauchi State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has expressed concern over the economic hardships occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy.
The Congress stated that efforts by the President Bola Tinubu-led administration to stabilise the economy and revive the value of the naira has also not yielded any positive result.
Addressing workers at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium on Wednesday in commemoration of the 2024 International Workers Day, the chairman of the state council, Dauda Shuaibu, said the Federal Government has failed to realize that no developing country will progress without subsidies.
According to him, even the so-called developed nations do grant economic subsidies in all areas.
He said, “We view the action of government on removal of subsidies as an effort to impoverish the citizens and turn all of us to slavery and beggars.
“This is also in a bid to satisfy the western world and their retrogressive agenda against all African countries with huge potentials which they view as a threat to their economies.
“There is no logic in removing subsidies and giving a paltry palliative that cannot cover one quarter of the citizens.”
Speaking on the new minimum wage, he encouraged workers to be prepared for another strike if the government fails to make an announcement soon.
“Fellow Comrades, it is unfortunate that, Government has also continued to foot drag on the issue of new minimum Wage. We are therefore calling on workers to brace up and prepare for a big showdown if the issue is further delayed unnecessarily.
“We cannot continue to watch while people are dying of hunger and malnutrition due to an artificial inflation imposed on citizens and negligence on the part of authorities.
“The President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federation, had on assumption of office in May 2023, promised to sustain and improve on the issue of citizens’ welfare and security which is the cardinal objectives of any administration, but for the past one year, there is no noticeable change in the life of workers and citizens. It is rather an additional impoverishment.
“The issue of pervasive poverty and joblessness of our youths and graduates has continued unabated. Frequent kidnapping, banditry and terrorism paparticularly in the North-West are still ongoing.”