The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio declared Tuesday that President Bola Tinubu inherited a country that was broke with N30trillion debt to service on assumption of office on May 29, 2023.
Akpabio stated this in his response to palliatives demands by labour leaders on fuel subsidy removal by President Tinubu.
“Although the President has saved N1 trillion as a result of fuel subsidy removal, but Mr President inherited a Broke country with debt that was over N30 trillion.
But be rest assured that effect of fuel subsidy removal being felt by workers and in fact Nigerians , would be ameliorated very soon by the federal government,” he said.
Earlier the leadership of the organised labour in their submissions to the Senate leadership on expected palliative measures from the Federal government, rejected President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila to lead negotiation on effect of fuel subsidy removal on workers.
Specifically, the National President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, told the leadership of the Senate that the Gbajabiamila-led panel is not capable to resolve issues on ground.
He said: “Part of our challenges is the issue of the committee put in place, the committee seems not to be capable .
“As labour we have done negotiation and engagement with the government from the time of Ufot Ekaette as SGF, Kingibe, Pius Anyim and Boss Mustapha.
“At no time had the Chief of Staff to the president who is very busy called to negotiate or lead negotiations.
“And that has delayed the issues, even since after our protest, another meeting have not reconvened, although president promised that he will restructure the mechanism of engagement with government to help things to be treated fast.
“We had also agreed on wage award, and up till this moment, the committee on wage award is yet to sit.”
He lamented further that while Labour leaders were still deliberating on N537 per liter of fuel and Court had ruled for status quo to remain, but surprisingly the government decided to increase the fuel to N620 per liter.
On the $800 million loan being sought for by the federal government, the NLC President admonished government not to use template of disbursement by the previous government.
“Nothing is yet to happen on the issue of $800 million projected to be borrowed we have not perfected the list of the people who will benefit from it.
“We should not follow the record that was used in 2019 because we’ve our doubts on that record. And no indices have been put forward to dictate those that are termed poor,” he said.
