The Senator representing Ebonyi North Senatorial District, Barrister Onyekachi Nwebonyi, has called on the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) to shelve the proposed indefinite strike billed to commence on Wednesday, 3rd October, 2023.
Nwebonyi who is the Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Account, made the call in a chat with Journalists, on Sunday, in Abakaliki.
The Senator made the call on the heels of the President Ahmed Bola Tinubu announcement of 25 percent provisional wage increase for Junior Workers, saying that the President is a man who thinks good for his people.
He expressed optimism that Mr President had all it takes to take Nigeria to the desired destination.
"I want to use this opportunity to appeal to Nigeria Labour Congress to rethink of going into strike. The President just announced an increment to the worker's salary. That is a man who thinks good for his people, that is a man who feels the pains with his people. So, with this, I am convinced that Bola Ahmed Tinubu will actually lead Nigeria to the desired destination," he said.
While acknowledging that the 25 percent increment was not enough considering the current economic realities, Senator Nwebonyi called for patience, as according to him, Rome was not built in a day.
"Well, it is not enough because we must be honest to ourselves. We all know what inflation is all about today. So, even for a civil servant to earn not less than N100,000 is still not enough., even above N100,000 is not enough.
"However, we must start somewhere and I believe that through negotiation between labour and government, things will get better. Of cause, Rome was not built in a day. The fact is that Mr. President understands that the situation is biting hard on the citizens and the need to increase workers salaries," he stated.
He noted that no other person could had done it better than President Tinubu at this critical time of Nigeria's history.
"We have a President that understands the economy that he wants to run, a President with the understanding as to how things work, a President that has a vision for his nation. At times people want to be President for the sake of being a President but Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a man with plans. He did it as the Governor of Lagos. Today, Lagos State is the leading state in Nigeria economically because of that same man. He has set Lagos State on auto pilot economically to the extent that the successive governments in 100 years will have focus, will have a mission, this is a development plan. So, we are happy that we have such a man as President of the country.
"Look at the bold step he has taken so far on assumption of office including the removal of fuel subsidy. We all know that this was a conduit pipe to siphon all our resources to the detriment of ordinary Nigerians but he came on board and removed it. Now, our credit is growing, our revenue is growing. The government can now embark on meaningful projects," he concluded.
On the rumor that National Assembly members allegedly received N100m each as a palliative to cushion the effect of subsidy removal, Nwebonyi said there was no truth in the rumor and challenged Journalists to investigate the allegation, to be able to come up with an independent finding.
"It is rumoured that part of the grouse of NLC is that National Assembly members are going home with N100million each as their own palliatives while families are getting N10,000. How do you reconcile this because it is part of the reasons why it seems that there is unrest or grievances among the Nigerian populace especially the workers?
"Journalists should also help in building the society. When people throw up rumour that is unfounded, before a journalist should pronounce such rumour, he is expected to do an investigative journalism before coming out to even speak it out. When somebody tells you that Lawmakers were given N100 million, I believe that the budget office or account department under the freedom of informatics Act, you can as well access the information in less than 48 hours. I expected that such would have been done so that as you are asking me, you will now tell me, you received this, not that it is rumoured. So, we shouldn't work with rumour for us to develop as a nation and I must tell you point blank, there was nothing like that", he maintained.
Nwebonyi also applauded the achievements of Governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, within a few months in office.
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