Renowned human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has urged major labour and civil society organisations in Nigeria, specifically the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), and others, to advocate for significant improvements in social welfare services.
His proposal includes the provision of free healthcare and education, affordable housing and transportation, an increase in the national minimum wage in line with inflation rates, and strengthened physical security.
Falana, the Chairman of the Alliance on Surviving Covid-19 and Beyond (ASCAB), elaborated on these points in a personal statement released on Sunday.
He emphasised the need for these measures as crucial steps towards ushering in the new year 2024.
Falana said, “In view of the increased revenue for the three tiers of government, we are compelled to call on the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress and other civil society organizations to lead the Nigerian people in mass actions to demand for the provision of free health-care and education, affordable housing and transportation, increase in national minimum wage to match the rate of inflation, as well as adequate physical security, to herald new year 2024.”
In his statement titled: ‘2023 MORE FUNDS FOR GOVERNMENTS BUT MORE POVERTY FOR THE PEOPLE’, Falana revealed how the revenue of the Federal, state and local governments have increased, advising NLC, TUC and CSOs to demand for the increase in the national minimum wage.
Falana said, “In his inaugural address delivered on May 29, 2023, President Bola Tinubu announced the immediate removal of fuel subsidy. In justifying the fuel subsidy removal, the President stated that “Subsidy can no longer justify its ever-increasing costs in the wake of drying resources. We shall, instead, re-channel the funds into better investment in public infrastructure, education, health care and jobs that will materially improve the lives of millions.”
“We have confirmed that since the removal of fuel subsidy, the monthly statutory allocations payable to the federal, state, and local governments have increased phenomenally. The development was confirmed by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of Economy, Mr Wale Edun, when he said that “the Federation Account witnessed improved revenue inflow since the removal of subsidy from an average of N650 billion monthly to over N1 trillion in the last four months.
“The disclosure was made by Mr. Wale Edun on November 20, 2023, at a four-day retreat organised for members of the Federation Account Allocation Committee in Asaba, the Delta State capital.
“The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursed the sum of N1.89 trillion to the three tiers of government in July 2023, and the sum of N1.7 trillion was disbursed to them in December 2023. It is common knowledge that while the Federal and State Governments are smiling to the banks, the masses are groaning in excruciating economic pain. In fact, while top public officers are living in opulence, the masses are asked to continue to tighten their belts.
We are also aware that on December 3, 2023, the federal government disbursed N135.4 billion to the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory after the second Independent Assessment of Results achieved under the Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES). The National Coordinator of the NG-CARES Programme, Dr Abdulkarim Obaje, said the funds were disbursed based on the results achieved by the States and FCT in their efforts at supporting poor and vulnerable Nigerians under the NG-CARES programme. The NG-CARES is a World Bank-assisted $750 million Performance For Results Programme.
“In view of the increased revenue for the three tiers of government, we are compelled to call on the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress and other civil society organisations to lead the Nigerian people in mass actions to demand the provision of free health care and education, affordable housing and transportation, increase in the national minimum wage to match the rate of inflation, as well as adequate physical security, to herald the new year 2024.”
