Enugu, Aug. 3, 2023: Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State says that palliatives will not solve current problems posed by the removal of the fuel subsidy in the country.
Mbah made the disclosure while addressing workers on peaceful protest to the Government House, Enugu on Wednesday
According to him, palliatives don’t solve problems but we are going to look at the remote cause of these challenges with medium to long term plan in solving the problems.
Mbah represented by his deputy, Mr Ifeanyi Ossai, commended labour for leading a peaceful protest and their contributions for the growth and development of Enugu State.
The governor explained that removal of fuel subsidy was currently affecting all Nigerians as they all lived in same economy and shop from same market.
He added that before the final removal of the subsidy, he had sustained by private effort, delivery of petrol to Enugu citizens at reduced prices through Pinnacle oil and Gas he owned.
“Just on Tuesday, I set up a committee to provide palliatives to Enugu citizens to cushion the effect of removal of fuel subsidy and in the days ahead, people will begin to receive value from the committee,” he said.
Earlier, the state Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Fabian Nwigbo, told Gov. Mbah that prices of goods and services had skyrocketed while civil servants’ salaries remained stagnant.
Nwigbo said that the situation had subjected Nigerians, both rich and poor to untold hardships.
“We are here today to inform the Enugu State Government on some of the policies introduced by the present Federal Government on May 29 that put the entire nation into suffering.
“Since the removal of the fuel subsidy, the country had known no peace. In 2019, civil servants were given minimum wage of N30, 000 while the prices of fuel has increased to between N617 and N700 per litre.
“Citizens of this country are suffering, many dying in their numbers while the insecurity is being driven by hunger hardship.
“So we want his Excellency, to take our message to the Federal Government that those policies are affecting the masses.
Nwigbo commended the state government for paying minimum wage, noting that some civil servants in primary schools, Local Governments and parastatals were still receiving some percentage of that minimum wage in the state.
He also appealed to Mbah to provide palliatives to cushion the effects of fuel removal in the state.
“From N30,000, we pay rent, hospital bills, school fees and buy fuel. So we appeal to you to do something urgently about it.
Also Speaking, Comrade Ben Asogwa, Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Enugu State Chapter, said they were on rescue mission for poor Nigerians.
He said that Nigerian workers were not trouble makers but fighting for the well-being of Nigerians as cost of living had increased, explaining that workers that own cars, their salaries cannot fuel it monthly.
“This is the first time labour is visiting Government House since Mbah came in,” Asogwa said.
