From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
Benue State Governor Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia has admitted that Nigerians all across the country are experiencing tough times.
Governor Alia stated this on Tuesday, in Makurdi while addressing members of the Labour Nigerian Labour Congress, (NLC), Benue State chapter, when they protested Government House, Makurdi, to register their grievances over the high cost of living and sufferings occasioned by government economic policies.
The governor who spoke through his Chief of Staff, Mr Paul Biam, on Tuesday, admitted that the government was aware of the sufferings of workers and other Nigerians in the country and assured that their grievances would be transmitted to President Bola Tinubu.
Alia who noted that “It was very clear that Nigerians were passing through tough times” said government was not relenting on its efforts to ensure that Nigerians have improved standard of living.
“As a government, we are completely in agreement with the facts that workers and indeed Nigerians are going through tough times. We have to accept this realities in our faces. It is only when we accept and try to bring up policies that can cushion this that we can live better.
“We are in complete support to whatever legitimate ways you are employing to ensure that Government is on her toes to bring in policies that will alleviate the sufferings of the masses.
“We are aware of your sufferings. We understand your predicaments. Please be assured of the Governor’s concern and worry. We understand your predicaments and we will continue to engage your leadership to ensure that together we build a better Benue,” he said
The Governor further assured the State chapter of the union of his commitment to workers’ welfare and commended them for holding their protest in the state peacefully.
Earlier, the State Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC), Comrade Terungwa Igbe, said that Nigerians were passing through untold hardships following the bad economic policies of the Federal Government.
Igbe said prices of goods have skyrocketed to the extent that within a day and in the same market same items are sold at different rates depending the time of the day.
He said the high cost of living has affected the workers seriously and urged President Tinubu to, urgently, initiate and implement policies that would alleviate the sufferings of the masses.
Also speaking, the Zonal Coordinator, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Nsukka Zone, Mr Raphael Amokaha, said their current salaries was no longer enough to feed two persons for a month due to the high cost of living in the country.
“If not by the economic hardships inflicted on Nigerians by the president’s policies, we won’t be talking about salaries here. Our salaries can not feed two persons for a month,” he said