Subsidy Removal: Organised labour in Nasarawa joins nationwide protest

The organised labour in Nasarawa State has joined the nationwide protest against the hike in the price of petrol in the aftermath of the Federal Government’s removal of fuel subsidy. The unions, consisting the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), led the protest march from Total Filling Station, Lafia, to the Office of the Deputy Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe. Speaking at the event on Wednesday in Lafia, Comrade Ismaila Oko, NLC Chairman, called on the Federal Government to reconsider the action in view of the hardship being experienced by the workers and the masses. The NLC chair said that the Federal Government should immediately take measures that would improve the lots of Nigerians before things get out of control. “Since the subsidy was removed, workers now spend their entire salaries on transport fares to their offices. “Workers can no longer cater for the school fees of their children, feed their family members and meet up to other responsibilities in the family,” Oko said. On his part, Comrade Mohammed Doma, TUC Chairman, urged the government to act fast to address the fuel hike. He wondered why the citizens of a country that was producing petroleum would be buying petrol at an exorbitant price that the citizens could not afford. “Our salaries cannot take care of our transportation to our offices, we are suffering,” the TUC Chairman noted. The union submitted a protest letter to the Head of Civil Service, Ms Abigail Waya, who lauded them for conducting themselves peacefully. Waya said that already both the Federal Government and the Nasarawa government had constituted committees to work out palliatives for the citizenry. She promised to brief Governor Abdullahi Sule about their issues and to submit their letter to him. 

Angry protesters pull down NASS Complex gate

*We’ll address your demands within 7 days- Senate The members of the organised Labour Unions protesting the removal of fuel subsidy on Wednesday pulled down the gates of the National Assembly in Abuja. The protesters numbering over 5,000, first converged at the Unity Fountain, Abuja, from where they matched to the Federal Ministry of Justice before proceeding to the National Assembly. However, following the failure of the security officials to adhere and open the gate to them, the angry protesters pulled down the gates and thronged into the assembly complex to vent their anger. The organised labour comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) are currently protesting in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Meanwhile, the National Assembly (NASS) has pledged to review and address the organised Labour demands within the next one week. The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio said this when organised labour took its mass protest to the National Assembly Complex where it submitted a list of its demands on Wednesday in Abuja. The mass protest was organised by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) over anti-poor and workers policies of the Federal Government. The protesters carried placards with inscriptions such as; “We condemn increase in school fees, “Stop importation of Petrol, Revive the Refineries,” and” Increase in price of fuel responsible for inflation, poverty among others. Akpabio, who was represented by Senate Chief Whip, Ali Ndume, assured the protesting workers that NASS was in support of their struggle. “We have keenly followed what is going on when we realized that there was a breakdown in the discussions between the Presidency and the NLC. I want to assure you that we will find a permanent solution to this. “Please give us one week and we will make progress and if you are not satisfied with the progress we are making, then you can take further action,” he said. He also said that a committee had been set up to look at the demands of organized labour. He added that by the close of the day or tomorrow, they will call the first meeting with labour to start the discussions and the engagements would continue. “We will do our best as your representatives to come out with solutions acceptable to you and realistic enough,” he said. Ndume also assured that the letter which contained their demands and terms of reference would be handed over to the leadership of the senate. Earlier, NLC President, Mr Joe Ajaero said the nationwide mass protest was to express workers’ frustrations and grievances about the anti-poor policies that had brought hardship to Nigerians. He added, ”For almost two months now, we have been engaged in discussions without fruitful motion. We got frustrated.” He, however, said that the demands of the labour include the immediate implementation of the resolutions jointly signed with organised Labour and government. Ajaero also called for the immediate reversal of all anti-poor policies of government including the recent hike in PMS price, school fees and VAT. He also urged the Federal Government to fix the country’s local refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna. According to him, release the eight months withheld salaries of the university lectures and workers. “Accord appropriate recognition and support to the Presidential Steering Committee and the work of its Subcommittees. “Also put a stop to in human actions and policies of government,” he added. Also speaking, Mr Festus Osifo, TUC President called for the reduction in the cost of governance. Osifo said that the governments was “insensitive to the plight of the masses.” “The Nigerian masses have been battered. They have gone through excruciating pains but in all of this, we have not heard what the President has to say about the cost of governance. “We want you in the National Assembly to show sacrifice. We want you to cut down your budget. “We want you to buy Nigerian made cars and not imported vehicles because you are creating jobs over there and importing poverty here. “We want you to show leadership because we elected you to work for us,” he said.