Labour demands hoarders of COVID -19 palliative materials be brought to book

By allcitynews.ng

Amazed at how Federal Government’s good intentions was tarnished by some government officials, labour has called for thorough investigation on all involved in the hoarding in order to bring them to book.

The President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba in a statement, expressed displeasure over how some individuals kept what were meant for the masses in warehouses, he demanded for immediate release of the remaining items.

Noting that the COVID-19 palliatives and relief materials were kept in long periods to the extent that most of them have expired, Wabba said that having watched with hands in akimbo, the union could not believe that while millions of Nigerians went through the COVID-19 lockdown in hunger and pains, what FG sent to cool their nerves were expiring in warehouses.

The recent unfolding incidents across the country of mass storming and looting of relief welfare materials and provisions stored away in different warehouses were indications that the would-be beneficiaries were denied what could have given them relief from hunger and hardship during the lockdown.

“It is obvious that the palliative provisions that were procured by government for immediate distribution to the mass of our people at their critical time of need and to assuage the hardship occasioned by the lockdown were hoarded and held back by some government officials. The reasons for this have not been made known to the public. We also understand that many of the palliative provisions are already getting rotten in the warehouses where they were stored.

“While we condemn the ensuing mass looting of both the Covid-19 palliatives and non-Covid-19 palliative materials, we equally deplore the conduct of some government o#cials who stored away relief materials that should have been distributed to the masses of our people at their very trying times of need.

“We call on the Federal Government to investigate the conduct of those who hoarded the palliative provision.
In order to forestall riotous plundering of the remaining relief palliatives, the Nigeria Labour Congress demands that the Federal Government should order the immediate release of all the welfare provisions and materials to citizens. As we had demanded in the past, the distribution of the palliative provisions should be transparent, and inclusive with active participation of mass-based citizen groups.”

Likewise the union noted that “this directive should apply to state governments many of which are chief culprit in this regard. Government officials cannot afford to create a scenario that precipitate mass unrests at this very delicate and fragile milieu in global history. A stitch in time would save nine!