With the Federal, State, and Local Governments committed to alleviating the sufferings of the poor masses due to the removal of fuel subsidy, the Katsina state NLC has advised the authorities to reintroduce the Co-operative consumer shops practised in the past.
Chairman of the Katsina state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Hussaini Hamisu who advised while speaking on the current state of the nation said, the act will not only crash the prices of food items but, make them cheaper, and affordable for the poorest of the poor to purchase.
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Nigeria woke up on May 29 to the immediate removal of fuel subsidy by the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government bringing untold hardship to the poor masses.
To cushion the effect, the three-tier of governments with the Federal government taking the lead had initiated a move to give each state 5 billion naira for the purchase of food items to be distributed to citizens as palliatives among other arrangements.
Though some state governments have acknowledged the receipt of 2 billion Naira out of the sum and began the purchase and distribution of grains, is it enough? No!
Some citizens in some states scamper to get it while others do not. Others say It is not even enough to last more than a day.
The chairman NLC Katsina chapter, Hussaini Hamisu, the chairman coalition of civil society organisations, Abdulrahman Abdullahi, and a public affairs analyst, Jamilu Abdulsallam all proffered lasting solutions to the governments for immediate implementation which included the reintroduction of cooperative consumer shops, retaining the subsidy, laying a sound foundation for agricultural policies and fixing of the refineries.
They believe that by implementing the proffered solutions, the hunger and hardship faced by Nigerians as a result of the removal of fuel subsidy will be minimised.
Editor Paul Akhagbemhe
