The National President of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Mr. Ambali Olatunji, has conveyed the union’s unwavering commitment to join the nationwide strike scheduled for Tuesday.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had previously declared an indefinite strike, commencing on Tuesday, October 3, 2023, in response to the challenges stemming from the Federal Government’s removal of the oil subsidy.
Speaking in Akure following the election of a new executive for the Ondo State Chapter of NULGE on Sunday, Mr. Olatunji affirmed the union’s participation in the strike. He stated, “The only way to avert President Bola Tinubu’s NLC strike is through effective leadership. The President brought about this hardship in Nigeria through his proclamation on May 29 without conducting a comprehensive study of economic indicators. We acknowledge that the previous government misled him, and while we don’t oppose the removal of the subsidy, we insist on the implementation of a structure to mitigate its impact.”
“Due to our corruption and inefficiency, we cannot maintain our refineries. Nigeria stands alone as an oil-producing nation unable to refine its crude oil. We must not endure this burden; instead, we can engage the operators of modular refineries in the Niger Delta, enhance their skills, grant licenses, and collect taxes from them. This approach would eliminate the need for foreign exchange to refine our crude oil, create more jobs, and benefit local communities. Why destroy their refineries when we lack the capacity to manage our own?”
“In most parts of the world, governments provide subsidies for various purposes. We are astonished that President Tinubu is following the path of Buhari and others. If you truly seek palliative measures, allocate 50 percent of it to pensioners. People are suffering, and some are resorting to drastic measures. We believe that the government is oversized; we cannot be asked to tighten our belts while the government is extravagant. There should be no more than 25 to 26 ministers, and all others should be appointed as special advisers. We must be prudent.”
Mr. Olatunji also stressed the importance of the government offering support to local councils, including equipment and infrastructural development. He further criticized the distribution of palliatives, claiming it has been politicized.
