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Kwara, Ebonyi, Abia labour unions join nationwide protest

Labour unions in Kwara, Ebonyi and Abia states on Wednesday staged a peaceful protest to express their displeasure over the removal of fuel subsidy by the federal government.

The workers, who thronged out in large numbers, moved around the major streets in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital, before delivering a letter on their grievance at the government.

Law enforcement agents, stationed at strategic areas of the state, in their patrol vehicles, ensured that the protesters moved around peacefully during the protest.

In his address shortly after delivering the letter at the Government House, the chairman, NLC in Kwara state, Comrade Muritala Olayinka, said the reason for the rally was to let the government know the hardship Nigerians are passing through as a result of the removal of fuel subsidy.

Olayinka said the federal government should as a matter of urgency repair the nation’s refineries to make fuel available and affordable.

He said the palliative announced by the government should also be made available to cushion the hardship people are passing through.

In their separate remarks, the chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kwara state Council, Ahmed Abdullateef, and the chairman, Trade Union Congress (TUC), Kwara state council, Comrade Tunde Joseph, said that Nigerians are suffering as a result of the removal of the fuel subsidy.

They assured that the organized labour will use all available peaceful means to make government do the needful.

They commended the security agencies for exhibiting professionalism in the discharge of their duties during the protest rally.

In his address on behalf of the state government, the deputy governor of Kwara state, Mr Kayode Alabi, assured members of the organised labour that their message will be delivered to the appropriate quarters.

Meanwhile, commercial banks in Ebonyi were closed as the NLC, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and TUC staged a protest against the Federal government over the hardship the citizens are facing in the country.

The protesters carried placards with inscriptions like, ‘stop politics of anti-people’, ‘it is time for the workers, youths to join together and resist the anti policies’, ‘we say no to devaluation of Nigeria’, ‘this is time to forget about division and political affiliation’, ‘stop the people’s enemies stop wickedness policies and others’.

The unions led by their leaders including Comrade Egwu Oguguo, Samson Nwafor, Ikechukwu Nwafor and others say Nigerians are tired of the oppression, hardship in the country and called on the Federal government under the leadership of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to allow the poor to breathe.

The unions converged on Abakaliki Township stadium where they took off for the march against the federal government subsidy policy which has increased the cost of transportation and general living in the country.

Addressing the unions before the protest took off, Chairman of NLC in the state, Comrade Egwu Oguguo said “We say no to excess hikes in fuel subsidy that has skyrocketed the cost of living.

“We need to move let our voices be heard, let them stop putting their knees on our neck, let them intimidate and oppress us.

“Nigerian people, Nigerian workers, we must breathe. We must shine, we need to shine, we need to move.”

On its part, the Abia State chapter of the NLC, Wednesday in Umuahia, held a peaceful protest in line with its national directive for “immediate implementation in good faith of the resolution of the congress jointly signed with the government.”

The protest was monitored by a retinue of police officers, which according to the State Commissioner of Police, CP Kenechukwu Onwumelie said it was to ensure safety and maintain peace during the planned labour protest, adding that his command has adopted a visibility policing strategy, effectively dominating the public space

CP, Kenechukwu Onwumelie held a meeting with the NLC/TUC stakeholders in the state late Tuesday to engage in a dialogue focused on ensuring a peaceful protest, where the CP informed that adequate security measures have been implemented to support this goal.

The CP had, in adherence to the directive from the Inspector General of Police to prevent any potential law and order breakdown, encouraged Abians to remain calm, as there is no room for vandalisation, gangsterism, and violence.

“Labour in Nigeria is demanding among others, the immediate implementation, in good faith, the resolution the federal government reached with it and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, the immediate reversal of all anti-poor policies of the federal government, including the recent hike in fuel prices, hike in school fees and VAT (Value Added Tax), to fix local refineries and the release of 8 months withheld salaries of university lecturers and workers.

“The rest include the immediate inauguration of the presidential steering committee and sub-committees as agreed in its previous communications. To put a stop to inhuman actions and policies of the government.”

Addressing the workers, the state chairman, Comrade Pascal Nweke Iheme said they are protesting the wrong policies of the Federal Government, adding, “The NLC and the TUC are here to make sure that what we were directed to do was done effectively. If the federal government say they want to remove the oil subsidy, they should start with the palliatives for us the workers also for the populace.

“That is what we want to achieve so that at the end of the day, both the Nigerian workers and the entire Nigerians will be happy to smile home with the new incentives.”

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