General News
Organised Labour Staged Protest Across The Country
- the protest was in obedience to the directive by the NLC President
- Wants FG To Fix Refineries,
- Halt school fees increase
The organised labour staged protest accros the country, on Wednesday 2nd August, 2023.
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), affiliates in Plateau State called on government to halt the arbitrary increase of school fees across the country’s higher institutions, as well as the unexplained taxes and utilities tariffs.
Mr Eugene Manji, NLC Chairman in Plateau, while addressing the workers, said that subsidy removal had exposed Nigerians to untold hardship.
Manji said that some Nigerians could barely feed their families because of the harsh economic situation.
“I wonder how many parents will be able to pay their children’s school fees in September?
“The increase of fuel from N195 to N617 has affected every sector of the economy.
“We are not antagonising government, but we are suffocating under the current economic challenges.
“Before you remove subsidy, fix our refineries and stop importing refined petroleum products, and ensure that every transaction concerning petroleum is done in our local currency (Naira and Kobo),” he stated.
The chairman further appealed to the government to pay attention to the plight of the masses, and rescind it decisions.
Mr Kenneth Shamah, Chairman, Trade Union Congress (TUC), Plateau chapter, said that it was the first time organised labour made a chatter of demands and also suggested practical solutions.
Shamah said that the peaceful protest was not only about workers, but for everyone suffering in Nigeria.
According to him, many people can no longer feed their families as many businesses have crumbled.
Prof. Chris Piwuna, National Vice President, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), said that the union had always stood for students and Nigerian citizens.
Piwuna urged government, and indeed the ruling class, to have a rethink and listen to the cries of the masses.
“There are taxes everywhere, electricity tariff has gone up, and the cost of food has skyrocketed.
“In the span of just two months, the price of petrol has gone up to over 300 per cent.
“Our leaders should listen, fix our refineries and go back to the resolutions reached between the Federal Government and the NLC on subsidy removal.
“They should also pay university staff their eight months outstanding salaries,” the ASUU scribe said.
Meanwhile, the protest was in obedience to the directive by the NLC President, Mr Joe Ajaero, that nationwide protests be staged against the fuel subsidy removal and other Federal Government policies.
Speaking with newsmen, the Caretaker Secretary, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state, Mr Victor Amusan, called the attention of the Federal Government to the plight of Nigerians, occasioned by the fuel subsidy removal.
NAN reports that from the venue of the protest, the workers later marched through the streets of Osogbo, singing solidarity songs and stopping to enlighten market people and road users on the basis for their action.
Amusan said that the subsidy removal was done without provision for measures to cushion its effects on Nigerians.
He said that there should have been palliatives in place before the removal of the subsidy.
According to the labour leader, Nigerians are currently going through serious hardship because of high cost of living.
Amusan said that some tertiary institutions had also increased their tuition, expressing the fear that the situation might force many students to drop out of school.
He urged government to roll out palliatives or reverse any policy inimical to the wellbeing of Nigerians.
Vice-President of National Union of Electricity Employees (NUWEE), Mr Sadiq Adewale, said that the fuel subsidy removal was having adverse effect on everyone in the country.
Also, the immediate past President, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Mr Biodun Ogunyemi, who joined the protesters in solidarity, said that they were expressing their rights to protest against what they felt government was not doing right.
Ogunyemi said that subsidy removal would only benefit the elite, adding that government should be about the people as well as their welfare and wellbeing.
He appealed to government to pay the backlog of salaries being owed ASUU members, as the cost of living had gone up due to the subsidy removal.
NAN reports that the protest was peaceful, as the police, NSCDC and other security agencies provided security for the protesters while they marched through Osogbo metropolis.
However, business activities were not disrupted by the protest, as banks, shops and government offices were open for business activities.
NAN reports that it was only the vehicular movements that were disrupted on the routes marched through by the protesting workers.
NAN.
