Youths protest in Lagos over N160bn SUVs, demand living wage

 

Some youths have gathered in Lagos to protest against the purchase of Sport Utility Vehicles for lawmakers at the National Assembly.

The youths who gathered in their numbers at the Ikeja area of Lagos on Monday held placards and chanted, ‘Fund education not SUVs, ‘Pay living wage not SUVs, and ‘Fund hospitals not SUVs,’ among others.

 

 

According to the protesters, “lawmakers buying SUVs with public funds is insensitive when the majority are suffering.”

One of the protesters said workers are still battling for a living wage as the N33,000 minimum wage is not sustainable but we have people at NASS taking delivery of exotic vehicles with about N160bn. Students are dropping out of school because of costly fees. It’s insensitive.”

It was reported that lawmakers in the Green Chamber had started taking delivery of their SUVs.

Similarly, legislators in the Red Chamber would receive the first batch of SUVs this week.

The move has generated criticism among Nigerians, with the Social Economic Rights and Accountability Project asking a Federal High Court in Lagos to stop the lawmakers from taking delivery of the SUVs pending the hearing and determination of the applications for injunction filed by the organization.