‘Buhari is using recession to punish Nigerians,’ Governor says

The governor made the comments via a statement released by his media aide, Lere Olayinka.

The statement reads:

“If government does not have capacity to increase workers salary at this trying period, it should not also increase taxes that will cause decrement in what workers earn.”

“As military head of state, Buhari used gun to deal with Nigerians, now as a civilian president, he is using economic recession to punish Nigerians and adding salt to injury by using inhuman taxes to reduce workers salary.

“Buhari’s government increased petrol price from N87 to N145 per litre, kerosene; diesel and gas price was increased, electricity tariff was increased, N50 stamp duty was imposed on bank customers, N65 levy was imposed on every withdrawal on ATM, various bank charges introduced, custom duties increased and now workers’ PAYE tax has been increased.

“I sympathise with the federal government workers who only got to know about reduction of their salaries when they got credit alert last month, but they should remember that I warned them.

“Workers are already facing hardships owing to the economic recession, which has caused exchange rate to rise to as much as N480 to $1. The implication of this is that the purchasing power of a worker that is earning say N100,000 per month has reduced to less than N50,000 per month, meaning what such a worker bought at N10,000 this time last year is now should at N25,000.

“I therefore call on the federal government to reverse this decision so as to reduce the level at which the workers are suffering.”

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Fayose had earlier accused Buhari of destroying Nigeria’s economy.