Labour proposed strike will make or mar future credibility

The Organised Labour has commenced mass mobilisation ahead of its planned nationwide strike scheduled to begin Wednesday to protest the hardship occasioned by the fuel subsidy removal. Their planned Industrial action is a litmus test in the eyes of Nigerians whether they will bow to government pressure by retreating or go ahead to make government dance to their tune.

In a schedule obtained released on Sunday, the NLC insisted that Nigerians should join them at the Unity Fountain, Abuja on Wednesday, August 2, 2023, at 7am.There is nowhere in the world where government leaves its citizens totally to the vagaries of the market without some measure of control and protection. The Federal Government should immediately deal decisively with the criminal content of subsidy instead of exposing ordinary citizens to avoidable pain and hardship.

“As a matter of national importance, it is imperative to fix all our refineries to be able to cater to domestic fuel consumption,” the NLC emphasised. Speaking further on the recent monetary policies rolled out by the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government, the NLC said, “We are concerned that no government acting reasonably leaves its national currency to forces of the market.”

Insisting on its demands, the union reiterated the need for the government to immediately reverse all “anti-poor policies,” and release the withheld salaries of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, among others.

Ahead of its meeting with the Federal Government on Monday and the nationwide strike scheduled to begin on Wednesday (today), the NLC said the Tinubu-led administration was playing games with the lives of Nigerians.

Though, the Federal Government has insisted that the planned industrial action by the Nigeria Labour Congress is illegal, the Sam Ogala of Falana’s Chamber, in a letter dated July 28, 2023, had stated that the right to peaceful protest has not been removed from the constitution.

The FG, in a letter on Monday, by the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Beatrice Jedy-Agba, and addressed to Falana Chambers on Monday, restated that there is a subsisting interim order restraining NLC from embarking on any industrial action. It partly read, “We reiterate that the interim order clearly restrained NLC from embarking on industrial action of any nature. It is common knowledge that a strike is only a form of industrial action. NLC has expressed intention to embark on nationwide action to force the government (employer) to agree to its demands.

The difficult times that most Nigerians are going through as a result of removal of subsidy on petrol, and the attendant inflation thrown up is gradually changing with protest rocking some states of the Federation.

Youths had stormed the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)  warehouse in Yola Adamawa State capital and carted away food and non food stuffs leaving some people wounded by the action. Another scenario happened in Oyo state as workers employed by the State government locked down the state secretariat entrance, insisting on speaking with Governor Seyi Makinde over myriads of issues affecting their interest in the state to provide palliatives.

Similarly, members of Osun Civil Societies Coalition on Monday stormed the streets of Osogbo in protest against high costs of living and urged the Federal Government to ensure immediate reduction in the pump price of petrol. It was on record that people protested at Kano today over the suffering.

Summarily, President Tinubu in his open broadcast promised to strengthen the manufacturing sector, increase its capacity to expand and create good paying jobs.

“We are going to spend N75 billion between July 2023 and March 2024. Our objective is to fund 75 enterprises with great potential to kick-start a sustainable economic growth, accelerate structural transformation and improve productivity. Each of the 75 manufacturing enterprises will be able to access N1billion credit at 9 per cent per annum with maximum of 60 months repayment for long term loans and 12 months for working capital.  Our administration recognises the importance of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and the informal sector as drivers of growth. We are going to energise this very important sector with N125 billion.”

According to him, “Out of the sum, we will spend N50 billion on Conditional Grant to 1 million nano businesses between now and March 2024. Our target is to give N50,000 each to 1,300 nano business owners in each of the 774 local governments across the country. This programme will further drive financial inclusion by onboarding beneficiaries into the formal banking system. In like manner, we will fund 100,000 MSMEs and start-ups with N75 billion. Under this scheme, each enterprise promoter will be able to get between N500,000 to N1million at 9% interest per annum and a repayment period of 36 months.

“To further ensure that prices of food items remain affordable, we have had a multi-stakeholder engagement with various farmers’ associations and operators within the agricultural value chain.”

The President noted that in the short and immediate terms, “We will ensure staple foods are available and affordable. To this end, I have ordered release of 200,000 Metric Tonnes of grains from strategic reserves to households across the 36 states and FCT to moderate prices. We are also providing 225,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer, seedlings and other inputs to farmers who are committed to our food security agenda. Our plan to support cultivation of 500,000 hectares of farmland and all-year-round farming practice remains on course. To be specific, N200 billion out of the N500 billion approved by the National Assembly will be disbursed as follows:  Our administration will invest N50 billion each to cultivate 150,000 hectares of rice and maize. N50 billion each will also be earmarked to cultivate 100,000 hectares of wheat and cassava.”

For these pleas not to fall on deaf ears, sacrifice must be made by both the leaders and the followers. In particular, leaders must lead by example to demonstrate commitment to turning the country around; and to assure the masses that everyone is together in this challenge. Many citizens have the impression that only the masses are suffering while the leaders are merely ripping them off. President Bola Tinubu and his team must debunk this notion, if they genuinely want to curry the understanding of Nigerians.

Perhaps the avenue to kick off the mobilisation is the use to which the government puts money being saved and distributed among the three tiers of government, starting with the N907 billion recently shared among them. It is meant largely to provide infrastructure as a key measure to provide palliatives for the people.

At this junction, the Planned protest by the Organised labour is the best option to stand for the masses in expressing their grievances. The President as a matter of urgency must do something quickly to ameliorate the agonies Nigerians are passing through. This is because country-wide protests portend doom, which, will not be  easily curtailed by security operatives.