•Frowns at large cabinet
From Tony Osauzo, Benin
The National President of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees, (NULGE), Comrade Ambali Olatunji, has picked holes in President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, saying it is hurting the masses, just as he blamed him for running an over-bloated cabinet comprising ministers and a retinue of aides.
Olatunji who spoke during the opening session of a two-day National Youth Conference organised by the Union in Benin, Edo State, accused the President of being insensitive to the plight of people.
He wondered whyTinubu who claim to understand the sufferings of the people would embark on anti-people policies without regard to the cost of governance, pointing out that 45 ministers and a horde of aides are a huge burden on a fragile economy.
Besides, the NULGE President condemned the removal of fuel subsidy without a mitigation plan, adding that the dodgy and ill-defined economic policy of the Tinubu administration is hurting the poor and vulnerable most.
He, therefore, advised the President to retrace his steps before he plunges the whole country into economic mess.
“We should be talking of cutting down on the cost of governance at a time like this rather than doing things that exacerbate the already bad situation. About 26 ministers and a few aides would have sufficed considering what the country is currently undergoing.
“The president also hurriedly removed the fuel subsidy without putting in place measures to cushion the effect and that is why we are at this abysmal level. Hopefully, he will retrace his steps and the country can move in the right direction.
“You cannot say Nigerians should adjust their standard of living while you leave extravagant lifestyle. Nigerians are passing through harrowing experience. People are frustrated but we should not loss hope”, Olatunji stated.
He urged the federal and state governments to grant financial autonomy to local government in the country, even as he thanked the Edo State government for creating an enabling environments for workers to thrive in the state.
In his speech, the Edo State chairman of NULGE, Comrade Lazarus Adorolo, explained that the conference was to prepare workers ahead of retirement, as the skills learned during the conference would be of immense help to them post-retirement.
The formal commissioning of Edo State NULGE House climaxed the two-day conference.