Youth Party, YP, has demanded that All Progressives Congress-led government should provide Palliatives to the masses from the 30% increase in FAAC disbursements to the three tiers of government to avert the impending Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, strike.
The party accused both the Federal Government, FG, of applying a slow and unserious cosmetic “rice sharing” approach to a situation that demands a robust sustainable economical way forward.
The party in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Ayodele Adio said President Bola Tinubu's Independence Day speech failed to appeal to the NLC to call off the impending strike or state quantifiable and time-bound interventions that can address the current hardship faced by Nigerians.
According to YP, President Tinubu's administration removed the petrol subsidy without any plan to protect the young, poor and vulnerable to the economic impact.
The party noted that despite the increase in the monthly revenue of the govt since June, it has not translated into any serious effort towards affordable public transport, education or public health systems for the masses.
Consequently, YP demanded that the APC-led government should provide palliatives to the masses from the 30 per cent increase in FAAC disbursements to the 3-tiers of govt to avert the impending NLC strike.
The party noted that the Federation Account Allocation Committee disbursement was N786.16bn in May and N1.11trn in August 2023.
It stated that the disbursements have witnessed a steady increase since the removal of fuel subsidy upon assumption of office of the current administration, adding that it went from N786.16bn in May to N907.054bn in June, N966.12bn in July and N1.11trn in August 2023.
The statement reads "An increase of over 30 percent from the pre-subsidy removal FAAC shared revenue. These increases are direct savings from the removal of the fuel subsidy that used to gulp about N400bn per month before the removal of the subsidy.
"Unfortunately, the savings have not translated into any serious effort towards affordable public transport, education or public health systems for the masses.
"The proposed NLC industrial action to pressure the government to act and protect the masses from the economic impact of the policy is an action supported by the Youth Party.
"However, we caution the NLC to take a creatively pragmatic approach that would not compound the economic hardship currently being experienced by the masses. We frown at an indefinite strike.
"Sadly, the President Tinubu-led administration removed the petrol subsidy without any plan to protect the young, poor and vulnerable from the economic impact of its said policy on 29th May 2023.
"First, the APC government took about 80 days to announce palliative measures on 17th August since 29th May 2023. The Government had no plan for the masses before the removal of fuel subsidies.
"The policy was an afterthought at best as the government merely gave an unserious N5billion loan to each state, which in turn has led to a bowl of rice sharing galore across the country.
"Removal of petrol subsidies by the government without any plan to cushion the blow on the masses has led to intolerable hardships.
"Petrol is part and parcel of the Nigerian way of life. Small businesses, homes, hospitals, school children and individuals are dependent on petrol for their day-to-day activities in the absence of a constant power supply.
"Today, President Tinubu failed to appeal to NLC to call off the impending strike in his independence speech or state quantifiable and time-bound interventions that can address the current hardship faced by Nigerians.
"The N25,000 to the lowest grade of civil servants excludes the majority of poor Nigerians. No time frame or urgency was spelt out for the promised affordable CNG buses.
"The President mentioned the procurement of buses but failed to provide crucial details. Nigerians deserve to know how many buses will be procured, how they will be deployed, and when they will hit the road.
"The State Support Infrastructure Fund raises several questions. What does this fund entail? What kind of infrastructure does it target? Who decides which infrastructure projects to fund, and do states receive a flat rate? Furthermore, how will this fund be financed, especially considering the potential impact of subsidy removal?
"How these cynical proposals assist the workers' monthly ‘take home pay’ to actually ‘take them home’ remains to be seen. Workers now sleep in offices since their ‘take home’ salary can no longer “take them home”.
"Parents now struggle to afford transport fare for their wards to schools. The cost of foodstuff has skyrocketed on the back of an over 300% increase in petrol cost without any efforts to reduce the cost of public transport as it is done in other market-driven economies.
"This solution portrays how disinterested the APC government is in the reality plaguing Nigerians and its lack of empathy. It is also obvious that the APC Government has adopted the failed ‘neoliberal economics’ or ‘trickle-down economic theory.’
"How does rice or the money to low-grade civil servants fuel buses or generators? Once the rice is consumed, will another batch be shared? This tokenism policy does not address the major issues of hyperfood inflation and public transportation which has become expensive for the masses.
"The government recently claimed to cut down the cost of governance by directing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to freeze the processing of visas for all government officials seeking to travel to New York for the United Nations General Assembly, while going to the G20 summit with a large entourage.
"This is tantamount to painting a donkey as a zebra when very clearly the moment it rains the reality will be revealed. It shows a lack of seriousness and playing to the gallery. The failure to reduce the number of ministries shows the Government’s true intentions, which is party over country.
"The Senate and House of Assembly have equally shown no intention of cutting down the cost of governance. The number of ministers appointed is the largest so far in the history of Nigeria.
"The Youth Party has at various points proposed a more pragmatic approach to dealing with the pain points of Nigerians. The focus on public transportation to reduce the cost of living should be immediate.
"The distribution of 100-seater buses across states and the country to keep prices as low as possible is a first step. Perhaps 100 buses for each state within the next 3 months.
"Secondly, Nigeria’s gas remains untapped. The transition to Compressed Natural Gas and converting petrol or diesel engines to CNG should be fast-tracked. This is a policy that should be expedited.
"The FG should engage NURTW on how the cost of transport can revert to pre-subsidy rates. Public transport should be subsidized as it’s done all over the world.
"The idea that the government of Nigeria can operate on purely free market principles is untenable. Masses cannot be subjected to the vagaries of the market. The market has its limit.
"Free market in the West does not usually extend to public transport. Public transport is not for the powerful and wealthy. The masses need to be protected. Neoliberal economics or trickle-down or elite consensus that champions deregulation and privatization without serious public action protecting the masses is not an end in itself and would not work. The economy should benefit the ordinary worker.
"Also, the Youth Party would like to call on the NLC and its allied unions to apply the pressure of their actions with a human face, as their ultimate goal should reduce the hardship being faced by Nigerians and not worsen it. An indefinite strike would worsen an already bad situation".
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