A group, Nigeria Civil Society Forum, has accused governors of sabotaging efforts by the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration to mitigate economic challenges in the country.
The group made the allegation at a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday.
Recall that President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio at plenary on Tuesday disclosed that each state governor received N30 Billion from the federal government to make provision for food items to be distributed as palliatives.
Addressing journalists on Thursday, National Convener of the Forum, Dr Godwin Abutu, alleged that governors were paying lip service to the economic pains of citizens in their respective domains.
He said: “We all called for the removal of fuel subsidy in this country and now that it is here it is our responsibility to make sure it that it has come to stay, whatever challenges that have accompanied that policy should be collectively resolved by us and not frustrate a policy that has seen more revenue in our federating units and local governments.
“The height of it is the attitude of our state Governors who rather than take advantage of this policy to bring development close to our people are rather sabotaging the system by doing nothing to the extent that some are still owing workers salaries and arrears.
“Barely 24 hours we have watched with amazement how the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, announced that each state Governor was given 30 billion to subsidize food items to reduce the effect of hunger in the land, we are yet to see any state government subsidizing to regulate the prices of commodities in the markets yet. We recall how the palliatives given in December were distributed among their cronies and it never got to the masses as planned.”
Reacting to the decision by the organised Labour to embark on strike next week, the Forum dismissed the stance of the Nigeria Labour Congress as unnecessary.
It called on the NLC leadership to rather seek collaboration with the federal government towards addressing the challenges thrown up by fuel subsidy removal and floating of the Naira.
“The Nigeria civil society forum, therefore wishes to give the NLC/TUC 24 hrs to drop their idea of a warning strike and come to the round table where patriotic Nigerians are concerned and are doing everything humanly possible to make sure we curb this hunger, stabilize our currency and secure our people.
“They may be enjoying the sympathy of opposition politicians and saboteurs now; but that will not be forever, as they shall be brought to Justice sooner than later. As the members of the civil society have always reiterated there is no room for sabotage our country is all that we have and we must always do our best to make it grow.
“We do not expect the leadership of NLC/TUC to pretend not to be aware that the warning strike won’t proffer any solution to our present predicament but rather satisfy only their ego and cash out from their sponsors and co-travelers.
“The Nigeria Civil Society Forum also calls on all citizens to rise to the occasion as threats such as the one made by NLC/TUC and the Fulani groups always come with renewed momentum from sponsors as they continue their desperation to sabotage the system not to work.”
