CSOs urge FG to increase palliative for Nigerians – Blueprint Newspapers Limited

The Civil Society Situation Room on Good Governance in Nigeria (CSSR-GGN) in collaboration with other civil society groups have called on the federal government to look beyond the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and increase its palliative measures for Nigerians.

The Executive Director/ National Convener, Dr. Thomas Terna Uzah made the plea in a press release made available to journalists on Sunday.

The group further alleged that the labour body has already been mobilised with $5 million to carry out its agenda.

“It is shocking that despite these glaring realities and the dangers of reinstating subsidies, which will collapse the economy and create intractable distortions, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is leading and coordinating other groups to sabotage the federal government.

“It is of note that NLC’s insistence on the strike is despite the federal government’s engagement with its leadership to explore options for addressing its demands. This raised our suspicion that the union may not be upfront with Nigerians as to the true intent of its industrial action.

“Ominously, it is now being mentioned that the NLC leadership has received $5 million from a certain opposition leader for mobilizing the strike, organizing protests, and throwing the country into crisis. The aim is for NLC to paint the Asiwaju government black and cause a destabilization plot that will bring the government down.

“Since we do not want to be caught unawares, we want to tell the NLC in clear terms that we dare them to go on an indefinite strike, and the Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room will take all legitimate measures to protect Nigerians from the hardship they want to put the country through.

“We are acquiring more specific details about the NLC’s dealing with the opposition, and sadly, with some foreign interests. We will provide these details to Nigerians when the need arises.”

The CSOs, therefore, urged “all well-meaning Nigerians, particularly the youth, not to allow themselves to be used as cannon fodder for achieving some people’s narrow objective.