The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Lagos has demanded N30,000 from the state government as palliatives to cover transportation cost for the next six months.

This, NLC leadership said, is to cushion the effect of excruciating pains Nigerian workers are passing through since petrol subsidy was removed by the federal government.

The state NLC chairperson, Funmi Sessi, made the demand on Wednesday during a protest to the government house, Alausa, Ikeja.

Sessi said that with the current economic situation of the country, it has become imperative for the state government to come to the aid of workers.

“People are dying. This morning, (for) many of these people to come and join the rally, they trekked from their various homes. Salary can no longer take home. We’re suffocating,” Sessi said.

“We want the government of Lagos state to give us subsidy palliative of N30,000 each; at least for the next six months. So that we can be using this to cushion the effect of the transportation.

“We know that the governor has come out to reduce (transport fare), but some of us do not take public transport, and we need this money to fuel our vehicles.”

Sessi explained that the workers need their salaries raised in order to put food on their table.

The NLC chairperson also asked the state government to deploy buses to agencies and parastatals for transportation of their workers movement to and from work.

While expressing the openness of the NLC to dialogue with the government, Sessi said: “We’ve so many other demands, but we want the government to call us to a meeting; stakeholders meeting, so that we can dialogue.”