Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has challenged the Federal Government to investigate the N30 trillion Ways and Means loan secured by the immediate past administration of Muhammadu Buhari.
Besides, the Labour union worried that outstanding pension liabilities, including gratuity and death benefits, have hit N40 billion in Kano State.
Kano NLC Chairman, Kabiru Inuwa, made the request, yesterday, at a media briefing in Kano.
He lamented the harsh economic situation in the country, despite the huge foreign loan obtained by Buhari’s government.
The Labour leader urged President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency on foreign loans, by thoroughly investigating how the facility was used and ensuring recovery of stolen funds from the previous administration.
Inuwa emphasised the impact of the harsh economy Nigerians are battling due to the removal of fuel subsidy.
He appealed to the Federal Government to consider the introduction of bailout programmes and cash transfer initiatives under close supervision of the central government to ease the pains of workers and pensioners.
NLC also appealed to the government to reopen the land borders as part of measures to check rising food prices in the country.
Citing the case of Kano, Inuwa said retired pensioners were finding it difficult to feed their families, as their emoluments were withheld.
While applauding Kano government’s readiness to pay wage award of N20,000 and N15,000 to civil servants and pensioners respectively beginning from March, the Labour leader hinted that pensioners above N3 million were yet to benefit from the N6 billion recently released.
On the release of 42,000 metric tonnes of grains directed for distribution to states, the NLC chairman added that the union was not aware of any release of grains in Kano.
He said: “We embarked on the protest to press home our discountenance on the economic hardship Nigerians are facing. The one-day demonstration was effective enough and that was why we suspended day two to allow the government to attend to our demands.
“We urged the government to reopen land borders and remove collection of levies and tax in the states and local councils. We urged the state government to settle gratuities, return cash transfer to less-privileged and provide fresh bailout to states under the supervision of the Federal Government to settle pensioners’ benefits.”
