Kano, Ogun states Labour unions stage walk against subsidy removal 

The Kano state Chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), alongside the Trade Union Congress (TUC), have joined their counterpart across the country for a nationwide protest over the removal of fuel Subsidy.

The protest which was led by Kano State NLC Chairman, Comrade Kabiru Inuwa, took off from the Murtala Muhammad library through Ahmadu Bello way and ended at the government house Kano, where the demands of the union were submitted to the state governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the Kano state government, Dr. Abdullahi Bappa Bichi.

The protest started 7:30 am local time with the protesters carrying placards with inscriptions such as: “End Fuel Price Increase” ” Let Poor Nigerians Breath”, Fix Local Refineries”, Stop Devaluation of the Naira”, Give living wage to Nigerian workers” among others as they chant solidarity songs.

The Kano state NLC chairman, comrade Inuwa said the Union came to submit the letter to re-emphasize the need for the federal government to implement palliatives discussed with the government over the removal of the subsidy.

Comrade Inuwa said the protest was not an act of antagonism towards the government but part of the union’s responsibility to call the attention of the government to the issues on ground in order to alleviate the sufferings of the less privileged because of high cost of living occasioned by the removal of fuel Subsidy.

The Secretary to the state government, Bappa Bichi, said the government is not against the protest as it was a peaceful one, stressing that the demands as contained in the letter will be submitted to the Executive Governor of Kano state, Abba Kabir Yusuf for onward transmission to the Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

Activities in the ancient commercial city of Kano have resumed in full gear after the initial lull, while the protest was going on.

Also in Ogun State South West Nigeria, the Organised Labour took to the major roads in Abeokuta, the state capital on Wednesday to protest the removal of the fuel subsidy.

The workers described the removal of fuel subsidy, hike in school fees and VAT as anti-people policies.

They also demanded the release of eight months withheld salaries of university lecturers and an end to “inhuman actions” and policies of the government.

The policies according to them, had brought untold hardships to Nigerian workers and further worsened the living condition of the people.

Read Also: Organized Labour Stages Peaceful Protest in Kwara, Kaduna Remains Calm

Like their colleagues in Kano state, the workers were armed with various placards and marched from the NLC secretariat in Leme area of Abeokuta metropolis to the governor’s office in Oke-Mosan preventing free vehicular movement.

Some of the inscriptions on their placards read: “Let the poor breathe, don’t suffocate them”, “Stop importation of petrol, revive the refineries now!!!”, “Stop the looting, tax the rich and subsidise the poor” and “Give workers what is due”.

The Ogun state NLC chairman, Hammed Ademola while addressing the workers, said the protest was in compliance with the directive of the national body of the union.

“We have to be on the street, we must not wait until we die, our destiny is always in our hands and now is the right time for us to tell the government of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu that we Nigerians are suffering.

“The fuel subsidy removal has caused a lot of hardship, untold hardship onto the masses of this nation. We are suffering, we have crude oil yet we are still buying abroad, enough is enough”, Ademola said.

His TUC counterpart, Akeem Lasisi demanded the reversal of fuel subsidy, saying “Subsidy is the constitutional responsibility of any government, subsidy is a global practice, so it is unfortunate in Nigeria that our own subsidy is marred with corruption.

“Instead of government to remove the corruption in subsidy, they removed subsidy itself.”

The workers also demanded the repair of Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries.

The Secretary to the Ogun State Government, Tokunbo Talabi, receive the letter of protest on behalf of the Governor.

Talabi assured the workers of delivering of the letter to the appropriate quarters adding that the state will do justice to their demands.

In both states, Security officials from the Nigerian Police, the Department of State Security and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps were on ground to monitor the protest.