A cross-section of civil servants working in Abuja, have appealed to the Federal Government to take immediate steps to ameliorate their sufferings, saying that life has not been easy since the removal of fuel subsidy.
Those who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said the cost of living had become unbearable for those who are living in the city in particular, hence the need for government’s intervention to cushion the effects of the present condition.
Mrs Felicia Anthony, who explained her ordeal, said she was finding it so difficult to cope with a lot of challenges ranging from children’s school fees, her house rent and most importantly transportation to work with the present salary she was earning.
“It has not been easy since the removal of fuel subsidy, before now when you have N400, you can go as far as from New Nyanya to town and return but now, even N1000 is not enough.
“It is very difficult and I will like to see government roll out palliatives to cushion the effects of this subsidy because its removal generally has caused the hike in the prices of both goods and services.
“It is my prayer that the Federal Government should assist citizens because as it is now, an ordinary civil servant can no longer cope with the present salary.
She also called on the government to look into ways to control price of goods and services as a good number of people were now selling as they wished in the name of fuel subsidy removal.
“There was a time we used to have price control of goods and services in this country because there were taskforce or measures to do so but now, everybody is selling as she or he likes in the name of subsidy removal and this has also aggravated the situation in the country.
Speaking on the proposed increment of minimum wage in 2024, Anthony said it was unreasonable to have removed subsidy when there was nothing added to the workers, saying it has caused additional suffering to Nigerians.
Also, Mr Ukwa Denis, another civil servant, said the current economic situation was unbearable not only to the civil servants but to all Nigerians, adding that everyone is buying from the same market, pursuing the same goals of good living.
“The situation has been so hectic in a sense that much consideration was not put in place before the decision of subsidy removal. “
According to him, the nation’s refineries and the petroleum industries could have been resuscitated before any action taken to reduce the suffering caused by the subsidy removal.
“We all know that the subsidy was removed by the previous government but all the same, this new government coming on board should have been prepared, taking into consideration the ripple effects.
“And for us as civil servants, our salaries cannot take us anywhere considering the present economic situation.
“I am appealing to the government to look inward and think of how to ameliorate the suffering of civil servants and the rest of Nigerians who are not working in the government sector.
Mr Muhammed Idris, another civil servant, decried the situation saying it was uncalled for, considering the blessings God had bestowed on the nation, hence no need for Nigerians to suffer amidst abundance.
Idris appealed to President Bola Tinubu to make provisions to salvage the situation, while the repairs of refineries should also be considered as top priority of his administration.
NAN
