The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has slammed the plan of the Federal Government to distribute N500bn as palliatives to Nigerians and government officials to cushion the effects of the removal of fuel subsidy.

Its President, Joe Ajaero, in a statement yesterday argued that the Federal Government was “seeking to impoverish the people further by taking steps that can only be described as robbing the people of Nigeria to pay and feed the Rich”.

According to the NLC, the further proposal to pay National Assembly members the sum of N70bn and the judiciary N36bn is “the most insensitive, reckless and brazen diversion of our collective patrimony into the pockets of public officers whose sworn responsibility it is to protect our nation’s treasury”.