Your protest needless, says Presidency, as NLC storms streets nationwide against hardship

…Tinubu again explains reasons for subsidy removal

Moses Adeniyi, Azeez Ismail

Against calls and persuasion to set aside its planned nationwide protest against the rising economic hardship in the Country with soaring cost of living, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Tuesday stormed the streets in metropolises across the Country to register displeasure on the current economic situation.

While the Presidency on Tuesday reacted with derision, mentioning the action is needless and without unanimity, National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, leading a group of protesters in Abuja, went ahead handing over their letter of demands to the National Assembly.

The demands included full implementation of the welfare provisions, employment generation, immediate subsidy to farmers to boost agricultural production, and fixing of four public refineries, among others.

Ajaero handed over the letter to the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Labour, Employment, and Productivity, Senator Diket Plang.

Remarking at the National Assembly, the NLC President said Nigerians embarked on the peaceful protests because there was hunger in the land, adding that “Nigeria is becoming like Zimbabwe.”

Ajaero noted that the minimum wage negotiation has started but the amount was yet to be decided, mentioning that the protest would serve as a signal to the Federal Government to immediately tackle the challenges bedeviling the country.

Upon receiving the letter, Plang assured the protesters that the demands of the NLC would be looked at and discussed immediately.

The NLC and other related unions commenced the two days nationwide planned protests on Tuesday over the high cost of living, inflation, insecurity, and hardship in the country.

The unions involved include the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, FCT Council, National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, Nigeria Union of Teachers, and Construction Workers’ Union, among others.

In various states such as Sokoto, Bornu, Kwara, Ogun, Imo, Abuja, Plateau, Bayelsa, Gombe, Ondo, Bayelsa, and Lagos, among others where the protest held,  protesters marched through the metropolises in their States bearing placards of various 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.

In Benue State, workers under the aegis of the NLC trooped out on Tuesday to protest the economic hardship in the country.

The protesting union members who started from the NLC state secretariat located along Otukpo road marched towards major streets in the capital city of Makurdi and terminated the protest match at the government house.

Security operatives were also deployed at strategic locations to avert any breakdown of law and order.

The State Chairman, NLC, Comrade Terungwa Igbe lamented that Nigerians are passing through untold hardships following the bad economic policies of the Federal Government.

He mentioned that the high cost of living has affected the workers seriously and urged President Tinubu to urgently initiate and implement policies that would alleviate the sufferings of the masses.

Also, the Zonal Coordinator, Academic Staff Union of Universities, Nsukka Zone, Mr Rapheal Amokaha, said their current salaries could no longer feed two persons for a month due to the high cost of living in the country.

“If not for the economic hardships inflicted on Nigerians by the President’s policies we wouldn’t be talking about salaries here. Our salaries cannot feed two people for a month,” Amokaha said.

In Osun, protesters joined the nationwide protest on Tuesday. The protesters consisted members of the NLC, the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, the Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE), the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, and Human Rights activists, among others.

They stormed the streets of Osogbo, Osun state capital to protest  against the high cost of living in the country.

The protesting residents of the State, who earlier converged at the popular Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, marched through Old Garage, Orisunbare, MDS and later terminated the procession at Olaiya under bridge, Osogbo.

They were armed with placards with different inscriptions, such as “Stop Robbing the Poor Now,” “Reverse all IMF policies,” “Nigerians are Suffering, We Can’t Cope Again,” among others.

Addressing the mammoth crowd of protesters, Chairman of the Osun Labour Congress, Comrade Christopher Arapasopo charged the Federal Government to address the high cost of living, saying Nigerian citizens cannot afford to buy goods in the market.

Arapasopo called on President Bola Tinubu to address inflation that he said has affected citizens negatively.

He said, “The Federal Government should do the needful. We are all Nigerians, people are suffering, people are dying.

“We are here on a peaceful protest against the high cost of living and it’s a 2-day protest and if the Federal Government fails to listen to Nigerians to honour the agreement, they will know what next.

“Federal Government should address the high cost of living, even if there is food in the market, people don’t have money to buy it, even if there is food in the market, the masses are affected with inflation.”

Also speaking, the State Coordinator of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE), Comrade Akin Asifat, said the present economic situation is unbearable for the masses, mentioning that conditions need quick action of the government in the country.

Asifat stated that the union is looking forward to the positive reaction from the government to change those policies that have a negative impact on the people.

Asifat also called on the government to ban some universities demanding dollars in the payment of school fees to strengthen Nigeria currency, while adding that the Nigerian government has to start producing locally to strengthen the economy.

In Akwa Ibom, the State chapter of the NLC, on Tuesday joined its counterparts in other States of the Federation to protest the economic hardship currently facing the country.

The NLC Chairman in the State, Sunny James, who led the protest on Tuesday lamented that people have been stretched to their limit due to excessive hunger and hardship.

Addressing the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr Udeme Otong, James urged him to encourage his members to make laws that would address the problems of the people and enable them to eat on a daily basis.

He mentioned  that the situation of the country does not need laws that do not have meaning and positive impact.

He said that Nigerians are suffering due to unfavorable policies of the present Federal Government.

“We are here to present our position to members of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly that they need to make laws in the direction of our problem, laws that will be beneficial to us. We don’t need laws that don’t make sense to us.

“If the leaders are not willing to change the situation, we will force them to change the situation, how can we be buying a bag of rice at N95,000 and a cup of garri N500?” he queried.

In Oyo State, Governor Seyi Makinde, on Tuesday, joined the state chapter of the NLC in its peaceful protest.

During the protest, Makinde assured the protesters that the current hardship would soon be over.

The workers began their protest from the NLC state secretariat, Agodi in Ibadan, the state capital, down to Gate – NTA – Yemetu roundabout where Governor Makinde joined the protesting workers.

Makinde, in his remark, said, “I am aware of the hardship in town and the difficulty the people are going through, but I will be part of the generation that will fix the country.”

He also assured the workers that their letters of protest and complaints would be delivered to President Bola Tinubu.

Earlier, the state NLC Chairman, Kayode Martins said the cost of living was no longer bearable, especially for the common man.

“The cost of living in Nigeria today is nothing to write home about and the people are fed up, so that’s why we are on the street now,” he said.

In Zamfara, the State chapter of the NLC joined the nationwide protest on Tuesday, storming the streets and marched to the office of the State’s Head of Service, Barrister Ahmed Liman to register their discontentment.

The chairman of the state chapter of the NLC, Sani Haliru, said the protest was not only for the workers but for the entire people of the country.

“The alarming rate of hunger and starvation, suffering has become so worrisome and unbearable that the labour forces have no option than to go on protest,” Haliru said.

He lamented that a series of meetings had been held between the Labour and the Federal Government, but the meetings were fruitless.

In Lagos, members of the NLC stormed the streets of the metropolis to register their grievances over the current economic hardship.

The protesters in their numbers stormed Ikeja, staging under the bridge at the State Capital and were seen singing and chanting calls on the government to give listening ears to their demands, while security operatives staged to monitor the action.

…Protest needless — Presidency

Meanwhile, the Presidency derided the labour actions, saying it is needless and lacks unanimity.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, on Tuesday criticised the NLC for staging the nationwide protest.

Ngelale labelled the protest as unnecessary during an interview with TVC on Tuesday.

Ngelale cautioned the labour unions against exploiting situations in the country to pursue a political agenda.

“Any labour union that is speaking to the concerns of Nigerian families, the pains that are being felt by our people, is absolutely free to do so. It is right that Nigerians speak up in difficult situations.

“And the government has been doing everything possible to alleviate those concerns. But we also want to separate the legitimate concerns being expressed by some of the labour unions from people trying to leverage some of the situations in the country to achieve a political agenda.

“We have seen the Trade Union Congress (TUC) pull out of the purported nationwide protest. We have seen the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) pull out of the protest. There is no unanimity behind what NLC is trying to do. I believe all of the legitimate concerns being raised by the unions are being tackled by the administration of President Bola Tinubu,” he said.

…Tinubu again explains reasons for subsidy removal

Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu again on Tuesday explained that the decision taken to remove subsidy on petrol was a challenging one, but necessary to ensure a transparent and accountable energy sector.

The President, who spoke at the opening of the 2024 Nigeria International Energy Summit (NIES) in Abuja, acknowledged that the decision has led to hardship, especially amongst low-income earners, assuring that eventually the economy will improve and the benefits will manifest.

Represented by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, Tinubu said energy security was a priority for his administration.

“The petroleum subsidy has, over the years, strained our economic resources, leading to inefficiencies and, most importantly, hindering our ability to invest in critical areas of energy security.

“By removing the subsidy, we are creating a more transparent and accountable energy sector. The funds that were previously allocated to subsidising petroleum products are now redirected towards developing and upgrading our energy and other social infrastructure.

“Furthermore, the removal of the subsidy has encouraged further private sector participation in the energy industry, with the potential to attract more local and international investors and foster innovation and competition that will drive down costs and improve the overall efficiency of our energy sector,” he said.

He added that, “The decision to remove the petroleum subsidy is not an easy one, but it is a necessary one for the long-term energy security and economic prosperity of our beloved nation. I call upon all stakeholders, including industry experts, policymakers, and the general public, to engage in constructive dialogue and collaboration as we navigate these challenging but transformative times.”

The NLC protests followed the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government to implement measures against the widespread hardship, particularly with grievance over the government’s alleged failure to implement agreements reached between both parties on October 2, 2023, following the distress that trailed the discontinuation  of subsidy on premium motor spirit (PMS), popularly called petrol.

The meeting between the Federal Government and the NLC Monday night ended in deadlock as the union vowed to kick off the protest. The protest is scheduled to continue Wednesday.