Petrol subsidy removal: Suspense in states over palliatives

There is suspense over the form of measures to be adopted by state government to cushion the harsh effects of removal of petrol subsidy.

While Nigerians awaited palliatives from government, the Federal Government announced measures to include giving N8,000 stipend to 12 million households across the country.

A spontaneous public outrage greeted the N8,000 stipend announcement by Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy, Mr Dele Alake last Wednesday.

The announcement came amid uncertainty over the  proposal of the organised labour of N200, 000 as national minimum wage, in place of the existing N30, 000.

A tripartite committee set up by the Federal Government in the wake of public anger elicited by subsidy removal is yet to harmonise its position on palliatives for workers.

Just like Nigerians look forward to measures from the federal government to cushion the hardship being faced, they also wait on their state governments likewise for some remedial measures.

Kwara

The Kwara State government reversed the directive which reduced working days from five days to three days to civil servants in the state in the face of hardship brought about by fuel subsidy removal.

It would be recalled that on June 5, 2023, the state Head of Service, Modupe Oluwole, had said that the state government took the decision to reduce work days for civil servants in the state as a temporary measure to ease their burden following the astronomical hike in transport fare.

However, in a letter to the Heads of Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) in the state on June 26, the Head of Service said that the state government reversed the directive to allow the federal government and the organized labour work out modalities on more efficient interventions to cushion the effect of the subsidy removal.

In the letter, signed by Mr. Okedare Adeyinka for the Head of Service, she promised that the intervention was expected to be unveiled very soon.

“For this reason, it has become imperative to revert to the former state of affairs, where civil servants observe five working days pending when a position is reached by the government and the labour.

“I am therefore directed to inform all Heads of Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) that the reduced number of working days has been reversed; hence, all categories of workers are to observe the normal five working days per week, with effect from July 10, 2023.

“Workers not covered in the initial workday reduction, which lasted a few days, will have stipends given to them as a show of appreciation.”

Oyo

Talks between the Oyo State government and the state’s Public Service Joint Negotiating Council (PSJNC) over palliatives to cushion the effect of removal of fuel subsidy on workers in the state are not yet concluded.

It will be recalled that, in the wake of the subsidy removal, governor Seyi Makinde, on June 5, mandated a committee comprising representatives on government side and organised labour to jaw-jaw on the current minimum wage and make its proposal to the state governor in eight weeks.

However, it was gathered that since the inaugural meeting of the committee held on June 5, no follow-up meeting has held.

At the inaugural meeting, the government had asked the Labour side to come up with a payment scale for workers which the organised Labour side described as baffling noting that it was government that has the full complement of the scale it uses to pay workers.

With no meeting of the two sides subsequently, the labour representatives are said to be keen on meeting the governor himself.

This is just as they said they expect the governor himself to make pronouncements regarding a new minimum wage or a percentage addition to the current salary of the state’s civil servants.

However, Makinde on June 9, said in ameliorating the harsh effects of the petrol subsidy removal, announced that more mass transit (Omituntun) buses would be deployed into the metropolis.

Furthermore, he announced that there would be no increase in the transport fares charged users of the mass transit buses, adding that children and the elderly are to pay half of the fares payable by commuters using the buses.

Meanwhile, the PSJNC, in a letter signed by its chairman, Mr Olanipekun Oluwaseun and acting secretary, Fabunmi Olumuyiwa, has sought palliatives to include: tax reduction for every category of worker in the state; that the workers’ transport allowances across grade levels be increased by 400 percent of the extant monthly basic salary; that workers’ utility allowance across grade levels be increased by 200 percent of the extant monthly basic salary.

The JNC is also asking that the number of government’s facilitated buses for public transport be increased and offered at subsidised rate; that tickets for senior citizens in the state and pensioners be subsidized; that there should be reduction in hospital bills by 80 percent for the elderly and the pensioners in the State.

Osun

The people of Osun State are still expectant on the incentives being planned by the state government.

The governor of the state, Senator Ademola Adeleke had promised that his government would launch palliatives to cushion the impact of subsidy removal.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), at the weekend, he said: “We will soon introduce public transport buses. We are working on adjusted work hours and days. We want to make live easy and enjoyable for our people.”

Delta

There seems to be no clear policy or pronouncement by the Delta government on the provision of palliatives to the people of the state in the wake of the subsidy removal.

The government has, so far, said a comprehensive strategy to deal with the hardship was being worked out.

According to Secretary to the State government (SSG), Dr Kingsley Emu, plans had reached advanced stage in the proposed intervention plan.

He hinted that the Sheriff Oborovwori administration would focus on human capital development and job creation to cushion the effect of the subsidy removal.

Details of the strategy as  to whether buses will be provided or salary of government workers increased are not disclosed.

But the SSG said the government was creating wealth by giving grants and loans to market associations, traders and artisan groups.

Some workers in the state who spoke on condition of anonymity said the workforce in the state was in the dark as the state is yet to make any official pronouncement on the  palliatives.

Bauchi

Bauchi State government has not announced what type of palliative it will rollout to cushion the negative effect of the removal of the subsidy on PMS.

Indications are, however, rife that government will make pronouncements on the situation, soon.

Civil servants are agitating for a significant increase in their monthly salary and other wages considering that the present take home is inadequate.

Some of the civil servants, who spoke on the situation, called on the state governor, Bala Mohammed, being a member of the palliative committee of the Federal Government, to come up with a realistic and wholesome palliative measure.

Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Bauchi State chapter, Umar Sa’idu,  urged the government to deploy buses to convey school children to schools as a relief to the parents who had since parked their cars.

He also advised that salary should be adjusted upward r to meet the increasing cost of essential commodities in the market lamenting that as it is now, an average civil servant could not go to the market with confidence.

Other stakeholders noted that a salary increase is crucial, noting that Bauchi is largely a civil service state.

Imo

On his part, Governor Hope Uzodimma announced that his government was raising the minimum wage of workers in Imo State to N40,000.

The governor also rolled out multiple palliatives that include enhanced free transportation, feeding and medical care for workers, generous loans to genuine farmers, establishment of marketing and commodity boards, payment of gratuities to retirees, mass housing, recruitment of more teachers for primary, secondary and tertiary institutions, bursary and scholarship for Imo state students, among others.

Ogun

The Ogun State government said the palliative measures to cushion the effects of the subsidy removal would  soon be made known.

Secretary to the State Government, Mr Tokunbo Talabi, said the committee on palliative set up by the government had submitted its report.

Talabi said: “What is left now is for us to begin to put a cost to the palliative arrangements and we are gradually inching towards achieving that.”

Ebonyi

In Ebonyi, the state government is yet to unveil a comprehensive package to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal after it increased the salary of civil servants by N10,000, irrespective of their grade level.

Sokoto

A source told the Nigerian Tribune in Sokoto on Sunday that the state government is yet to decide on the form of palliatives to cushion the effects of the subsidy removal.

The top government officials said the people were still waiting on the government to come up with ‘a holistic package’ on the matter.