The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC in Benue State North Central Nigeria on Monday actively participated in the protest organised by its national secretariat over the current economic hardship in the country.
The State Chairman of NLC, Comrade Terungwa Igbe, who spoke to journalists after a road walk across major streets in Makurdi, the State Capital said, the state was in full agreement with the national body of the Labour Union.
Comrade Igbe expressed satisfaction with the level of cooperation and support that the union received from security agencies whom he said were equally going through untold hardship noting that the labour protest would have far-reaching positive effects for the overall benefit of the citizens.
The NLC Chairman said the Union took several measures to ensure the protest was not hijacked by hoodlums including meeting with the State Commissioner of Police, the Director of SSS, the Commandant of the NSCDC and other security formations who were on hand for a hitch-free protest.
During the protest, both serving and past labour leaders in the state appeared in uniforms for easy identification by security operatives.
The State Labour leader however said the national secretariat will have no choice but to proceed on indefinite strike by shutting down the economy if the federal government fails to respond to the issues at the end of the protest.
“We are joining the strike because most of the issues advanced by the national secretariat are right. The economic aspect of it is very crucial because today you will go and buy for instance cement at the rate of N10, 000 the next day you go to buy it the price will increase to N13,000, so we want the economy to be stable. We don’t want an unstable economy. So many things are going wrong in this country and these are some of the reasons why are protesting”.
He said the protest was a bad signal on the path of government.
“The protest will give the signal to the government that what they are doing is not correct, so when the signal is given and we go into negotiation, they will know that the people are angry but when you are going into negotiation and you are not doing protest you are not coming out with your position of what is happening. If at the end of the protest, the government doesn’t respond, we will go on strike and shut down the economy”.
On his part, the State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Comrade Michael Vembeh also lamented the plight of pensioners over the non-approval of wage increases and pension allowances by the federal government.
Comrade Vembeh however, commended Governor Hyacinth Alia’s administration for the prompt payment of their entitlements but regretted however that the problem of pensioners in the state was non-harmonization of their benefits.
“The pensioners are still taking N2,000, so we feel we can approach the government on issues like this so that it can take over the matter and get it ratified”.
Expressed optimism that the protest would benefit the masses if the government addressed the problems headlong.
Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Benue Council, Comrade Vincent Nyinongo, also lamented the excruciating economic downturn which he said has made life extremely difficult for the people to care for their families, buy drugs to maintain their health needs and pay school fees for the children.
Comrade Nyinongo described the NLC as the only hope of workers in the country, adding that the situation Nigerians had found themselves was distracted adding that the national protest was the only option to the resolution of the problems being faced by Nigerians.
NLC Peaceful Protest In Kogi State
Meanwhile, in Kogi State, North Central Nigeria, a peaceful protest was in the state in response to the directive of its national Secretariat, which ordered its state councils and affiliate unions to stage mass protests against the prevailing economic crises in Nigeria.
Addressing NLC members before the protest in Lokoja, Chairman of Kogi State NLC, Comrade Gabriel Amari, declared that the rally was intended to be a peaceful one, and warned the Protestants against any form of violence against the government, insisting on the peaceful motive of the protests.
“You are all aware of the current untold hardship that Nigerians are passing through. These protests embarked upon nationwide are in the interest of the entire citizens,” Amari said.
Amari directed members to carry out the protest in a peaceful and orderly manner, warning that they should not allow hoodlums to hijack the process and cause havoc to innocent citizens.
Amari, expressed delight that the security agencies in the state provided security cover to the peaceful procession of workers who took part in the protest.
According to him, the state Wing of NLC had a peaceful rally, which drew the government’s attention to the high cost of living faced by workers in the state.
Amari, had earlier in a meeting with the Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Bethrand Onuoha, given the assurance of a peaceful protest, as the Organized Labour in Kogi State urged its members to be law-abiding Citizens, willing to cooperate with Police and other security agencies to ensure a peaceful protest.
Chairman, of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Sule Ahmed Tijani, stated that protest was a usual means through which the Labour communicates grievances to the Government, while the Labour continues negotiations for improved welfare for the workers.
Tijani says there is a great deal of agitation by Nigerian workers for economic improvement as the workers crave a living wage that will reduce the hardship of workers amid current economic crises, which may be addressed in the coming months as President Bola Tinubu’s disposition to a wage increase raises workers’ hope for a pay rise.
Dominica Nwabufo
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