*There’s hunger in the land- NLC
By Chioma Onuegbu, Uyo
GOVERNOR Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has assured the organised Labour that his administration would immediately set up a committee that would ensure the effective distribution of palliatives in the State.
Eno who disclosed that the state government just received a circular informing it that the Federal government has released palliatives to States, appealed to all the citizens to give them just 10 days to begin distribution of the palliatives
He spoke while addressing Akwa Ibom worker in front of the Government House gate Uyo, during the nationwide peaceful protest led by the NLC and TUC leaders yesterday.
He commended the leadership of the organized Labour in the state for ensuring that the protest was peaceful and orderly.
His words: “On palliative I know that the Federal government is doing something. We’ve been informed this morning in a circular that the Federal government has released some palliatives to the States.
What we will do is to immediately set up a palliative committee.
” We’ll bring organized Labour in, so that we can sit together, know what the Federal government is bringing and what the state government will add so that we can in the next 10 days ensure that we begin to distribute the palliatives.
“We understand the pain that you are going through. But let me say this is a peaceful protest so far, and from the deep of my heart I want to commend the leadership organized Labour for not allowing this protest to snowball to where people begin to destroy government property, or where criminals hijack your protest.
“We are saying you, and indeed every Akwaibomite, please give us 10 more days let this committee sit, and then we will come out and announce clearly the things we are doing. We held a meeting with Innoson Motors, we are about tidying up that meeting so that we can take delivery of buses for the workers.
” That will help us. We’ll find a way to deploy those buses .So I want to say to you please be calm, you have made your point. We run open government. Remember I told you to give me six months and I will start paying gratuities, I want to announce today that I have just released one billion Naira to take care of gratiuity of Primary School teachers”
The governor who was flanked by Secretary to State Government, the Head of Service, Commissioners for Labour also announced that he has just released the sum of N800m to take care of grants and leave allowances.
He assured the workers that palliative will would not be an issue, adding, ” When we heard you are here, ordinarily I would have sent the SSG to you but to show respect to Akwa Ibom workers I decided to come myself because I know you are the people that voted for me.
“And I promised that I will be a Labour- friendly governor. So if the Labour knocks on my door I should come out and see them*
Earlier in his remarks, State Chairman of
NLC, Comrade Sunny James appreciated the governor for coming to address Akwa Ibom workers, saying, “We are lucky to have a listening governor. We are here to inform you and the leadership of Akwa Ibom state that the workers and people of the state are not happy.
“There is so much hunger in the land within the last 60days of the government of His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The Presidential Steering committee lacks the political will to executive the palliative, Nigerians cannot continue to be be taken for granted”
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