Civil Societies stage protest against economic hardship, commercialisation of education in Osun
By Ismail azeez, Osogbo
Osun Civil Societies Coalition on Monday staged a peaceful protest against economic hardship, hike in fuel prices, and commercialization of education.
The group called on President Bola Tinubu as a matter of urgency to address palliative measures to cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal.
The protesters who earlier converged at the popular Ayetoro junction and terminated the demonstration at Olaiya Bridge in Osogbo, Osun State capital.
The Civil Societies Coalition protest what they described as a “Protest Rally Against, Economic Hardship, Commercialization of Education, Non provision of Palliatives, Hike In Electricity Tariff, Hike In Fuel Prices, Insecurity, The Poor Are Not Breathing among others”
The protest which was led by the state Chairman of Osun Civil Societies, Comrade Waheed Lawal said the peaceful protest is targeted against Economic hardship, hike in Electricity tariff, hike in Fuel, commercialisation of Education, non-provision of palliatives after subsidy removal, insecurity, and double taxation.
Lawal said the protest was not about political party but about the suffering of innocent Nigerians who can hardly eat one square meal in a day.
He said every human being deserves decent living and dignity, adding that Nigeria has been blessed by both human and natural resources but bad leadership has continued to be the major problem hindering development.
“Every human needs food, water, clothing, shelter, and sleep but the rising cost of living is gradually taking away human dignity to the extent that the average Nigerian cannot afford to eat twice daily or fuel their vehicles again. The cost of food is high, and the cost of public education is getting higher and job opportunities declining everyday.
“The current economic hardship has pushed millions of Nigerians to poverty, the middle class has fallen, the rich are getting richer and the poor getting poorer.”
Lawal condemned the economic reforms of the Federal Government, saying the reforms are strangulating Nigerians and improvising the poor just as he called on President Bola Tinubu to rescind some of the hardship economic policies for the overall interest of the poor and ordinary innocent Nigerians.
Also addressing the journalists, Comrade Dr. Ayo Ologun condemned the earlier proposed N8,000 palliatives targeted at 12 million Nigerians describing it as insensitive to the plight of Nigerians.
Ologun said, “We reject in totality the palliative of N8,000, fuel hike, Electricity tariff hike, commercialization of Education, double taxes and other harsh economic reforms. The poor are not breathing, people are suffocating.
“We are calling on Mr President to stop suffocating the poor Nigerians rather he should cut down the cost of governance and be sincere in judiciously using the gains of subsidy removal to better the lives of the poor masses.
Speaking, Comrade Emmanuel Olowu dispelled the rumor that hoodlums will hijack the protest coming on Wednesday, saying such will not happen as the suffering affects millions of Nigerians who were yearning for a good life.
He, however called on the people of the state to come out in solidarity with Nigerian Labour Congress NLC on Wednesday to fight a just course.
