…Asks Govs to share palliatives to all Nigerians
Former governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, has appealed to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to drop their planned indefinite strike in the interest of Nigerians.
In his message to the labour unions, Kalu said they should see reason with the people of Nigeria not with the government.
The former Senate Majority Whip said the planned strike will halt the economy and all Nigerians.
He said: “Once again, I’m appealing to the Nigerian Labour Congress to see reason with the people of Nigeria not with the government.
“They are thinking that President Bola Tinubu, members of his cabinet and appointees are Nigeria, the answer is no.
“Nigeria belong to all of us including President Tinubu. I plead with them not to go on this strike. On the issue of going on strike, the budget is coming and workers salary will be included in a occasion of few more weeks or months.
“We will make sure that Nigerian budget presented in a manner that workers salaries would be looked into because President Tinubu is not going to manufacture money without appropriation.
“I’m sure in the next few weeks the budget will be before the National Assembly. Workers should take it for granted that the President will workout in details of how to set up emunment for all the workers.
“Please, because of the sake of our people and there are Nigerians who are only eating because they are labourers. If there is strike, they cannot feed and if there is unrest they cannot feed.
“I hope that the Nigerian Labour Congress will see reason and find time to reconsider not to go on strike next week because it is going to halt the economy, the manufacturers, the stock exchange and everybody will be in a mess.
“Please see reason for us in the next few weeks, we will be your apostle and we will make sure we consider what is good for the workers.”
Kalu, therefore, asked the state governors to ensure that the palliatives are shared all Nigerians. He advised them to look beyond party line in sharing the palliatives.
“Moreover, I want to plead with the 36 governors to see reasons because the palliatives is not a party matter, it is for both the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Labour Party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and all the other parties.
“The palliatives is for all Nigerians and do not share it through the party structure. I’m hearing that many governors are sharing it through party structure but it is not the right thing to do. Everything we do should be about the Nigerian people not about party. The party is just a fraction of people.”
