The Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, has claimed that it would be difficult for the federal and state governments to pay civil servants salaries from June without resorting to massive printing of money or removal of fuel subsidy.
Mr Obaseki, who stated this in Benin during the May Day celebration, said any of these decisions would bring more hardship to the people.
He said: “Our economy is in a terrible state, it will be a miracle for the federal and state governments to pay salaries beyond June this year without resorting to massively printing money or removing fuel subsidy.
“Let me point out and highlight that even though we continue to struggle in Edo, working hard to make lives better for all of you, we are not oblivious of the fact that Nigeria is in trouble.
“We must make sure that the burden and pain of these measures, which must be taken, are not borne by workers alone.
“Workers must now rise and ensure that they champion any discussions on subsidy removal. You must shift from the tradition of reacting when these policies have been made but insist that you take charge and ensure full transparency and disclosure.
“If we are all undertaking a reform, then the benefits and pains that will come out of the reforms must be mutually shared by all Nigerians, not just the downtrodden.”
