Emmanuel Awari-Jalingo
Some government ministries, departments and agencies in Jalingo are currently shut in solidarity with the two-day nationwide strike declared by the Nigeria Labour Congress.
Speaking with Newsmen shortly after inspection of compliance, the state Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Peter Jedial said he and his colleagues were going round government Ministries, Boards and Parastatals to ensure compliance with the directive of the national Secretariat.
“Nigerians are in pains as a result of subsidy removal.
“The N2Billion given by the Federal Government is inadequate, this cannot do anything.”
He vowed that Labour will shut down the country if the Federal Government failed to comply with the demand put forward by the National leaders of the union over the distribution of the Federal Government palliatives billed to cushion the hardship occasioned by subsidy removal.
He lamented that the two billion naira released by the Federal Government across the 36 states of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory was grossly inadequate to Carter for the mugomous population of Nigeria.
“Since yesterday, we sent a message across the state for workers to vacate their offices in solidarity with our national colleagues following the hardship we are passing through as a result of the subsidy removal.
The leadership of NLC, led by Peter Jediel moved round offices in Jalingo to inspect the level of compliance with the directives of the two-day warning strike.
“The Federal Government has released 2 billion naira as palliative to cushion the effect of the hardship but we wonder how the little amount would help in cushioning the effect of this hardship among our large population. Our leaders had met with the Federal Government and presented our plights and demands but the government seems to be adamant about our demands, hence this warning strike
“Should the Federal Government fail to attend to our plight after this two-day warning strike, we may consider a 14-day ultimatum after which we will embark on a total shutdown of the country until steps are taken by the government to address the excruciating mass suffering and the impoverishment experienced around the country.
He, however, expressed satisfaction with the Taraba State palliative measures in which bags of corn, rice and other items were shared down to the local levels of the state
Our reporter gathered that all offices in Jalingo, the Taraba State Capital were completely under lock and key following the directives of the Taraba State NLC for the two-day warning strike.