Former chairman of the main opposition party in Nigeria (PDP), Ahmed Makarfi has challenged the labour unions to demand for good governance, good security and other good things expected from the government.
He made this statement during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Unity Schools Old Student Association (USOSA), in Kaduna during the weekend.
Makarfi who was the Governor of Kaduna State, said over monetization of everything should be stopped, for us to begin the path to greatness.
Makarfi said that “I had challenged, even before I became a governor, the labour leaders I knew that time that you people begin to talk of money, money, money, you will end up with money that is not going to be useful. Rather, I challenged them then to hold government accountable; demand for good governance; demand for infrastructure; demand for security; demand for a lot of things that are expected from government, and a living wage which will be minimal.
“But if you are always asking for money, somebody gives you N10 and takes away N30 for example, how do you benefit?
“We operate in a manner that I should provide for free education, water, security, roads, everything, instead of government to provide for those. That is a major mistake. We must stop monetisation of everything in this country, for us to begin a path to greatness.
“When you hear of wage increase in serious economies, it is by 1 or 2 or 2.3 per cent because it is not about the money, it is about what the government should provide. But, here we are in Nigeria, we have freed the government from providing those basic amenities. We often rather say I can provide for myself when it is not possible for us to provide all for ourselves.
“When you hear of wage increase in serious economies, it is by 1 or 2 or 2.3 per cent because it is not about the money, it is about what the government should provide. But, here we are in Nigeria, we have freed the government from providing those basic amenities. We often rather say I can provide for myself when it is not possible for us to provide all for ourselves.
“When I was a governor, when RMAFC was about to come out with packages for political office holders and they were consulting us, I looked at it and told them that I am a political office holder, this thing you are proposing is going to lead Nigeria to serious financial and economic situation. I told the RMAFC officials that they should take a second look at the matter. The RMAFC leaders said Nigeria can afford it. The question now is: can we afford it now? We must stop over-monetisation of our society”.
, Ahmed Makarfi has challenged the labour unions to demand for good governance, good security and other good things expected from the government){kind=link}