The National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) yesterday called on President Goodluck Jonathan to revisit the withdrawal of subsidy on fertiliser and the planned fuel subsidy removal.
National President of NULGE, Comrade Ibrahim Khaleel who spoke with LEADERSHIP in Abuja reccently said the action would further impoverished Nigerians who hardly can afford a square meal a day.
Khaleel added that the central labour organization, which NULGE is an affiliate, had continue? to oppose government? move to remove subsidy, stressing that it would be left without any option than to mobilise Nigerians against the policy should government go ahead with its plans.
According to him, “I am disturbed about the situation in Nigeria. This is because this is a democratic government that is expected to be responsive to the yearning and aspiration of the people, but sadly it’s operating in the contrary.
“The issue of removing subsidy in fertiliser, to me, is anti-people, and NULGE totally rejects it, because we are closer to the people in the rural areas with a lots of peasant farmers at the grass root, and we know by experience that agricultural activities are seriously fading out and with the removal of subsidy in fertilizer, it means there will longer be food in the country because farmers will no long get access to the product.”
The union leader also stressed that NULGE will continue to campaign for full autonomy for the local governments system in Nigeria, because that is the only way the rural areas can witness meaningful development.