The Nigeria Labour Congress and other related unions have begun the planned nationwide protests it declared over the high cost of living, inflation, insecurity and hardship in the country.
At 7:12 a.m, it was observed at the Labour House headquarters in Abuja that various union workers and other disgruntled Nigerians were entering the premises.
Operatives from the Department of State Services are also in attendance.
The NLC and the Trade Union Congress had, on February 8, issued a 14-day nationwide strike notice to the Federal Government over the failure to implement the agreements reached on October 2, following the removal of the fuel subsidy.
The FG’s failure to fulfill its promises after the ultimatum by Labour will be met with a two-day nationwide protest, slated for today (Tuesday), February 27, and Wednesday, February 28.
Organised labour, had last Monday, begun mobilising its members for the nationwide protests over the high cost of living in the country.
Addressing journalists on the protest ground on Tuesday morning, Joe Ajaero, NLC President, said the protest was about hunger in the land.
Abuja
The Nigeria Labour Congress and other related unions have commenced their protest in Abuja over the high cost of living, inflation, insecurity, and hardship in the country.
The protest started from the Labour House Headquarters in Abuja at exactly 9:36 am.
Unions taking part in the protest include the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, the FCT Council, the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, and the Nigeria Union of Teachers and Construction Workers’ Union, among others.
Also present at the national protest is a former Nigeria Country Director, ActionAid, Ene Obi; presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore among others.
The protesters were seen wielding placards with inscriptions such as “#End Poverty and Hunger. Support Local Industries#,” “Fix Local Refineries End Subsidy#;” “#End Naira Devaluation; Tax the Rich Subsidise the poor#” to make their grievances known on the current economic hardship across the country.
Addressing journalists before the protest started, the NLC President, Joe Ajaero said, “The government said we should not do rally. They used peaceful means and threats but we are in God’s hands.
Oyo
Oyo state Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, on Tuesday, joined Nigeria Labour Congress and other civil society organizations in the peaceful protest for better Nigeria.
While acknowledging that there’s hunger and anger in the land, Makinde said ‘the solution is still for us to pull together’ and confront the challenges.
According to Governor Makinde the message of the NLC and CSo’s in the state concerning the economic hardship in the country will be delivered to President Bola Tinubu.
The Governor also assured the protesters of his support towards ensuring better Nigeria.
Lagos
Members of the NLC have stormed the streets of Lagos State to express their grievances over the current economic hardship.
They are also protesting the government’s alleged failure to implement agreements reached between both parties on October 2, 2023, following the removal of the fuel subsidy.
The decision followed the conclusion of a 14-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government to implement measures against the widespread hardship.
Ogun
The Nigeria Labour Congress, Ogun State Chapter, has joined their counterparts across the country to protest the prevailing hardship occasioned by fuel subsidy removal and attendant skyrocketing prices of goods, particularly food among others.
The leadership of the NLC disclosed that the two-day rally slated for today and tomorrow is to compel both the federal and state governments to tackle the problem of insecurity, hunger and the continued rise in poverty across the country.
Speaking with the journalists before the workers embarked on the protest rally, the Chairman of Ogun State NLC, Comrade Hammed Ademola-Benco, said that the rally was hinged on getting good deals for Nigerians and never and the intention to confront the government.
Ademola-Benco said, “This protest rally is about getting good deals for the people of the country. The truth is that people are suffering, many Nigerians are hungry, and the prices of food have reached the rooftop.
Ondo
Hundreds of civil servants took to the streets of Akure, the Ondo State capital on Tuesday to protest current economic hardship in the country.
The protest was based on the directives of the national body of the Nigeria Labour Congress.
The peaceful protest is ongoing along the major roads in the capital city while the protesters are chanting various solidarity songs.
They also wielded placards with different inscriptions such as, “Stop the hunger, lower food prices,’ ‘Fix the local refineries end, oil subsidy,’ ‘Tax the rich, subsidise for the poor, and ‘ ‘End naira devaluation, support local production’ among others.
Security operatives were seen around the town to ensure that hoodlums do not hijack the protest.
Jos
Hundreds of protesters led by the Nigerian Labour Congress on Tuesday stormed the streets of Jos, the Plateau State capital.
The protesters who gathered at the Secretariat Flyover bridge lamented the economic hardship and insecurity being faced by Nigerians in the state and other parts of the country.
Describing the situation as unbearable, the protesters called on the Federal Government to act quickly and save Nigerians from further suffering.
They also demanded an end to the security challenge in the country.
The state Chairman of the NLC, Eugene Mangji, who led the protests said, “We are not happy, Nigerians are not happy over the situation in the country that has brought untold hardship and suffering of the citizens which started immediately after the removal of the oil subsidy.
PDP, LP joins the NLC protest
Two major opposition parties, the Peoples Democratic Party and Labour Party, have thrown their weight behind the two-day protest declared by the Nigeria Labour Congress.
This was even as the ruling All Progressives Congress expressed concern that the protest may be hijacked.
In separate interviews, the opposition parties said that the economic hardship is enough to make the masses join labour to kick against the insensitivity of the Federal Government.
The NLC President, Joe Ajaero, had warned that there would be a total shutdown of the economy if any of their protesting members were attacked during Tuesday’s protest.
His threat also comes few days after the Department of State Services appealed to the labour to shelve the protest with a premonition that a fifth columnist could hijack it to cause chaos in the country.
Speaking with our correspondent, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Abdullahi Ibrahim, said the people are always ready to resist any anti-people policy.
Other states including Osun,Bayelsa, Imo also joins the NLC protest.
Watch video here
