Coronavirus-Govt has Abandoned Nigerians-AWC
- By solomon2day
- On 25/04/2020
- Comments (0)
- In Special Report
The recent lock down is teaching Nigerians lots of lessons,the economic impact on toiling masses is beyond measure,and most unfortunately our government is not apologetic of a lock up of a people with over 85% poverty rate without necessary economic measures put in place to safeguard them from suffering.Definitely,there is no reason for the mass sufferings currently experienced,except for the fact that we have a government that has not really understood it's duties to the citizenry. The mass suffering is unwarranted and equally avoidable if only our government had earlier put in place a system of social security.
While we agree with the lock down in order to tackle the corona virus pandemic,we however condemn in strong terms government's act of irresponsibility by not making provisions for the economic wellbeing of the citizenry especially the vulnerable ones while the lock down lasts.The mass of Nigerians were abandoned by government only for very ridiculous and uncoordinated distribution of pittance called palliative to a very few people much more later basically due to public outcry.
Unfortunately, the situation at hand appears not to be abating and there is likely hood that government might want to further extend the lock down or impose a state of emergency as been canvassed by the Nigeria Governors forum. Which ever way, the position of the Nigerian workers is that government should make adequate provisions for the economic wellbeing of the masses else a mass action against government . We the Nigerian workers therefore call on labour movements in Nigeria, the civil society and the mass populace to prepare for mass resistance should government want to impose more sufferings on the land. We thus call for readiness for mass protest any moment from now as we watch events unfolds.
We therefore demand that the major issue of governance now must be on how to save lives.Hence , we are challenging President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately develop a comprehensive stimulus plan to cater for all within the lock down period as recently done by the South African President Cyril Ramaphosa , who release a $26 billion stimulus plan to tackle the corona virus in his country.
We demand that the federal government should immediately provide intervention funds to support all the states of the federation in order to tackle the covid -19 scourge.
We demand that government open up our food reserve and redistribute same to all vulnerables.
We demand for increased corona virus testing capacities in treatment centres.
We call on government to take steps to revive the economy in the face of the falling price of crude oil by
1. Immediately reducing banks interest rates
2. Immediate revaluation of our national currency
3. Reduce the cost of living
We also call on government to further bring down the price of petroleum products .It is our view that in line with the crash on global crude oil price ,petrol should not sell above fifty naira per liter else Nigerians are cheated.
There is also need for government to look into cases of human rights abuse during the lock down and ensure justice for those affected.
We call on the labour movement in Nigeria, civil society groups, all workers and the masses at large to participate in the April 28 global action against covid 19 pandemic.
We commend all our medical personnel especially those in the front line for a job well done and we demand for increased incentives for them.We also wish all down with the corona virus quick recovery.
We commiserate with all that has lost loved ones globally and we call on scientists worldwide to find a lasting cure to the corona virus.
Comrade Andrew Emelieze
National Coordinator (AWC)
Nigeria All Workers Convergence
