Tinubu’s economic policy hurting Nigerians — NULGE President

• condemns bloated cabinet, retinue of aides

National President of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees, (NULGE), Comrade Ambali Olatunji, has faulted the economic policy of President Bola Tinubu, saying “it is hurting the masses”.

Olatunji who chided President Tinubu for the inhuman nature of his economic policy, while speaking in Benin City, Edo State capital, during the opening session of a two-day National Youth Conference organised by the union, also berated Tinubu for running an over-bloated cabinet comprising ministers and a retinue of aides.

The NULGE national chairman noted that President Tinubu “is insensitive to the plight of the people”, adding that if indeed the president understood the sufferings of the masses as he claimed, he would not embark on anti-people policies without regard to the cost of governance.

This was just as he insisted that 45-minister cabinet of the president, and a horde of aides remained a huge burden on a fragile economy like that of Nigeria.

The NULGE boss also condemned the removal of fuel subsidy without a corresponding mitigation plan, stating further that the dodgy and ill-defined economic policy of the administration was hurting the poor and vulnerable most and advised President Tinubu to retrace his steps before he plunged the whole country into economic mess.

“We should be talking of cutting down on the cost of governance at a time like this rather than doing things that exacerbate the already bad situation. About 26 ministers and a few aides would have sufficed considering what the country is currently undergoing.

“The president also hurriedly removed the fuel subsidy without the fuel subsidy without putting in place measures to cushion the effects and that is why we are at this abysmal level. Hopefully, he will retrace his steps and the country can move in the right direction.

“You cannot say Nigerians should adjust their standard of living while you leave extravagant life. Nigerians are passing through harrowing experience. People are frustrated but we should not loss hope,” Olatunji bemoaned.

He also urged the federal and state governments to grant financial autonomy to local governments in Nigeria and thanked the Edo State Government led by Governor Godwin Obaseki for creating an enabling environment for Edo State workers to thrive.

Also speaking at the event, the Edo State chairman of NULGE, Comrade Lazarus Adorolo, said the conference was to prepare the workers ahead of retirement, adding the skills learned during the conference would be of immense help to them post-retirement.

The highlight of the two-day conference is the formal commissioning of the Edo state NULGE House