NLC gives reasons for shelving nationwide protest

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has given reasons why it called off the two-day planned nationwide protest to avoid inflicting more stress on the suffering workers in the country

Briefing journalists at the NLC state secretariat in Owerri on Wednesday, the Imo State Chairman of the NLC, Comrade Chigaemezu Nwaigwe, said that going on with the protest meant subjecting workers to stress and suffering.

He pointed out the extension of the 7-day ultimatum by the NLC to next month, within which the Federal Government would look into the nagging issues affecting Nigerian workers

He passionately appealed to President Bola Tinubu to listen to the plight of the workers of the nation by implementing the agreements already reached with the labour unions.

He enumerated the 17 demands as proposals that, if implemented, will help the nation overcome the present crisis of survival in the short run.
The demands, according to him, include the adoption of measures to mitigate the increasing hardship in the country via mechanisms that would allow for immediate food availability locally.

The unions called for the reopening of the land borders to allow food, cement, and other essentials to come in while calling for emergency measures to ensure food security around the country, including ensuring that farmlands are secured so that farmers can return to the land.

The state chairman demanded immediate removal of the collection of levies, fees, dues, and tolls from petty traders across the nation by local and state governments, the immediate implementation of the October 2, 2023 agreement reached with your government, the immediate purchase and deployment of CNG/electric buses across all the states of the federation to be managed by stakeholders, and the immediate deployment of large numbers of CNG conversion kits to all states of the federation to grant the citizenry easier access to the conversion of their vehicles from PMS to CNG.

The State Chairman, flanked at the briefing by other members of the State NLC, called for a drastic reduction and removal of import duties paid on essential drugs and medical consumables to relieve the current hardship being witnessed by the sick, while all state governments should be directed to immediately pay all owed wages, wage awards, allowances, gratuities, and pensions.

According to him, cash transfers to the vulnerable with a verifiable and inclusive social register should begin immediately, while there should be an immediate tax holiday for all workers earning between N100,000 and N500,000 per month, including a reduction in PAVE for all workers earning below N500,000 per month.

He called on the President to direct the purchase and use of made-in-Nigeria goods and services to stimulate local production and save jobs, with an immediate reduction in the cost of governance in Nigeria at all levels to reflect the nation’s tight fiscal position.

The body called for a total halt on the implementation of all IMF and World Bank policies in Nigeria, adding that they have not only not worked anywhere but have brought extreme hardship, which imperils our nation’s security and undermines our sovereignty.

He said, “We believe that diligent implementation of these proposals in consultation with social partners via the various processes of social dialogue will go a long way in recovering our economy from the precipice and repositioning Nigeria as a productive economy with capabilities for decent job creation, inclusive growth, and the rule of law.”

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