The National President of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees, Ambali Olatunji, has chided President Bola Tinubu for his economic policy, which he said, is hurting the masses.

Olatunji, who spoke in Benin City, Edo State, during the opening session of a two-day National Youth Conference organised by the union on Tuesday evening, also berated Tinubu for running an over-bloated cabinet comprising ministers and a retinue of aides.

Noting that Tinubu needs to understand the plight of the people, Olatunji said that 45 ministers and a horde of aides are a huge burden on a fragile economy.

He also condemned the removal of fuel subsidy without a mitigation plan and stated that the current economic policy of the administration is hurting the poor and vulnerable most.

He said, “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 effect 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 live an extravagant life. Nigerians are going through harrowing experiences. People are frustrated but we should not lose hope,” he added.

While thanking the Edo State Government led by Governor Godwin Obaseki for creating an enabling environment in the state, Olatunji also urged the Federal and state governments to grant financial autonomy to local government and 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. (The PUNCH)

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