Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national publicity secretary Chief Olisa Metuh has urged the South East Chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) not to shut down the region in protest of the removal of subsidy, arguing that the subsidy regime benefits oppressors rather than the oppressed.
Metuh, who recalled how, as then-PDP national vice-chairman, he worked with the South East chapter of the NLC to reject the nationwide strike that paralyzed the region in January 2012, added that fuel subsidy has never benefited the South East’s masses, instead benefiting the rich and economic saboteurs in the region.
He urged President Bola Tinubu, on the other hand, to take immediate steps to alleviate Nigerians’ suffering “by reducing the size of government, ending the profligacy associated with governments, and channeling resources to projects, amenities, and facilities that directly impact on the wellbeing of the people.”
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Metuh stated in an open letter to the NLC that was obtained:
“I passionately appeal to the South East chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to follow in the footsteps of their comrades in the South-west and northern state chapters and withdraw from the proposed strike action in response to President Bola Tinubu’s announcement of the removal of fuel subsidy.”
Metu expressed his displeasure with the apparent abruptness of the subsidy removal, but urged the NLC to look beyond the immediate difficulties and consider the larger benefit of ending the corrupt subsidy regime that has benefited the rich at the expense of the poor and ordinary Nigerians.
“You will recall that in 2001, as Chairman of the South East Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Committee (SERRAC), I worked with the South East NLC leadership to resist the attempt to work against the increase in fuel price to N40 at the time.”
“That effort was based on the fact that fuel subsidies have never benefited the South East because fuel prices in the South East have always been exorbitant; always higher than what is available in other parts of the country.”
“Recall also that in January 2012, as the then-ruling party’s National Vice-Chairman, I worked with the South East chapter of the NLC to reject the nationwide strike that paralyzed the entire country on the grounds that the strike was of no benefit to the South East as a region.” Fuel subsidies have never benefited the people of the South East; they have only benefited the wealthy and economic saboteurs.
“I come to you again on that premise to resist the attempt to blindly lure our region into a fight that will not benefit the ordinary people of the South East.” The South East should instead concentrate on our immediate challenges in order to put our God-given ingenuity to work.
“We must use the energies of our Labour fronts to persuade the current administration to address the issue of insecurity, economic retrogression in the South East, and the unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from incarceration; imperatives that the previous administration ignored, ignored, and even encouraged.”
“As the people are being asked to make sacrifices, and without prejudice to the petitions in the Presidential Election Petition Court, I call on President Tinubu to demonstrate leadership by immediately taking steps to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians by reducing the size of government, ending government profligacy, and channeling resources to projects, amenities, and facilities that directly impact the people’s well-being.”
“We cannot remove fuel subsidies while continuing to subsidize political office holders’ lavish lifestyles, spend government money to maintain the luxury presidential fleet, service posh government houses, buy expensive vehicles, secure luxury apartments, and finance wasteful trips for government functionaries to the detriment of the people’s well-being.”
“The end of gasoline subsidies must mean the end of luxury government guest houses, long convoys, governors and public officers hiring private jets, foreign medical trips, and jumbo allowances for political office holders.”
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He added that Tinubu must be prepared to reduce the Presidential Villa’s budget by removing luxury items, as well as appoint ministers, special advisers, and other aides who are willing to forego luxury cars, expensive accommodations, and fat allowances in order to live with the people and share public amenities and facilities with other Nigerians.
“I urge the NLC’s South East Chapter to reconsider their decision to shut down our region for a protest that benefits the oppressors rather than the oppressed.” “The entrepreneurial spirit that thrives on daily commercial life is the life wire of the South East, which we must not suffocate by shutting down our own homeland, which has been greatly impoverished by sponsored security challenges,” he said.
