Former spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, yesterday appealed to the South-east chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) to pull out of the proposed strike following the announcement of the removal of petroleum removal by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In an open letter made available to the media, Metuh said the NLC should see beyond the immediate difficulties and consider the larger benefit of ending the corrupt subsidy regime which has benefited the rich against the poor and ordinary Nigerians.
He said: “Without necessarily agreeing with the seeming sudden nature of the subsidy removal, I urge the South-east chapter of the NLC to see beyond the immediate difficulties and consider the larger benefit of ending the corrupt subsidy regime which has benefited the rich against the poor and ordinary Nigerians.
“It important that the people of the South East, including Comrades in the NLC, realise what is imperative to us and put it beyond any other considerations.
“You will recall that in 2001, then as the Chairman of the South East Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Committee (SERRAC), I worked with the leadership of the South-east NLC in resisting the attempt to work against the increase of fuel price to N40 then.
“That effort was predicated on the fact that fuel subsidy has never benefited the South East as fuel price has always been exorbitant in the South East; always higher that what is obtainable in other parts of the country.
“Recall also that in January, 2012, as the National Vice-Chairman of the then ruling party, I worked with the South-east chapter of the NLC to reject the nationwide strike that paralysed the entire country on the premise that the strike was of no benefit to the South-east as a region. Fuel subsidy has never been of benefit to the masses of the South-east, it has only been beneficial to the rich and the economic saboteurs in the land.”
Rather than protesting against subsidy removal, charged Metuh urged the NLC to channel the energy towards bringing issues affecting Nigeria and calling for the unconditional release of the Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
“We must use the energies of our Labour fronts to get the current administration to address issue of insecurity, economic retrogression in the South East as well as unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from incarceration; imperatives that were disregarded, ignored and even encouraged by the last administration,” he said.
In the concluding part of his letter, he tasked Tinubu to take swift actions to ease the sufferings of Nigerians, suggested cutting down expenses to gather more funds to ensure the wellbeing of Nigerians.
“I call on President Tinubu to show leadership by immediately taking steps to ameliorate the suffering of Nigerians by cutting down on the size of government, end profligacy associated with governments and channel the resources to projects, amenities and facilities that directly impact on the wellbeing of the people.
“We cannot remove subsidy on fuel and still continue to subsidise the lavish lifestyle of political office holders, spend government money to maintain the luxury presidential fleet, service posh government houses, buy expensive vehicles, secure luxury apartments and finance wasteful trips for government functionaries to the detriment of the wellbeing of the people.
“The end to subsidy on petrol must mark the end to luxury government guest houses, long convoys, hiring of private jets by governors and public officers, foreign medical trips and jumbo allowances for political office holders.
“President Tinubu must be ready to cut the budget of the Presidential Villa by removing luxury items. He must reduce the number of Presidential aides and appoint ministers, special advisers and other aides who are ready to forgo luxury cars, expensive accommodations and fat allowances but, instead, be ready to live with the people and make do with public amenities and facilities with other Nigerians,” he state.
