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From Paul Orude Bauchi
Bauchi State governor Senator Bala Mohammed has urged the organized labour to reason with the Federal Government’s decision to remove oil subsidy saying it was for the good of the country.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) led the organised labour on a nationwide protest against oil subsidy removal by President Bola Tinubu as a result of the hardship occasioned by the decision.
Speaking while inaugurating Caretaker Chairmen of 20 local government areas in the state at Multi-Purpose Indoors Hall on Wednesday, Governor Mohammed urged labour to support the decision despite the hardships it has caused.
“These are hard times arising from the removal of subsidy,” he admitted.
“Certainly it is bringing a lot of pains to Nigerians but we urge our organized labour to understand that this is for good”
Mohammed argued that the subsidy was wasteful.
“We have really bought into the government initiative to remove the subsidy because we believe it was a waste,” he stated.
“We believe it was not sieving the common man”
He warned the Local Government Caretaker Committee Chairmen to judiciously use the palliative measures that would accrue to the councils as a removal of subsidy.
“You also must come up with your own initiatives with palliatives that will touch the people, that will reduce the hardship of the people,” he said.
Governor Mohammed assured civil servants in the state that his administration would continue to pay salaries as at when due.
“We will continue to give promotions to civil servants at the state and local government levels,” he stated
“We will continue to pay minimum wage and arrears of promotions from consequential increases.
“We are the only state in this part of this country that is doing that and we have the pride to do that.
“We are paying pension but still it is not uhuru”
Governor Mohammed disclosed his administration had taken measures to ameliorate the suffering of the masses as a result of oil subsidy removal.
“We have introduced a subsidy on transportation, we have bought fertilizers in abundance and we have fertilizers.
“Even civil servants are being given fertilizer on loan and we are going to key in into the federal government’s initiative of bringing fertilizer and other grains.
“When they are brought to Bauchi, be rest assured that there shall be justice and equity in the distribution.
