Workers take hardship protest to Aso Rock

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Labour unions under the aegies of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) protested against economic hardship being experienced by Nigerians.

President of the NLC, Comrade Ayubba Wabba and the president of the TUC, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama, on Thursday, led hundreds of workers, civil society allies and other artisans in a mass rally to protest against high level of corruption in the country and total lack of good governance in Abuja.

A delegation of the union leaders led by Comrade Wabba and Kaigama, were at the Presidential Villa, where they met acting president lay down their grievances over the hardship faced by Nigerians.

The NLC president told Osinbajo that they were worried about systemic corruption and lack of good governance in the country.

He regretted that Nigerian masses were at the receiving end of bad governance and corruption in the country.

He said workers would like to see a nation where public office holders forfeited assets that they refused to declare.

In his remark, the TUC president said the organised labour and civil society allies were willing to support the fight against corruption.

Responding to their requests, the acting president said government was desirous of showing the people that it was accountable and willing to explore ways to address the current economic challenges faced by the people.

He said: “We commend you for taking this laudable campaign to the villa on behalf of the Nigerian people.

“For a democratically-elected government, we must constantly report to the people and we must show that we are accountable to the people.

“That is why positions like yours have to be received properly and we must find ways to positively take action on the many demands that were raised.”

Osinbajo asserted that it was in line with this position that the administration embarked on the bailout of states that were unable to pay workers’ salaries.

He stressed the need for the prudent management of resources in the midst of scarcity, noting that everyone must be held accountable.

He said: “Management of resources is critical, especially when those resources are as small as what we are witnessing today. We want to ensure that everyone is held to account.

“If resources were not efficiently managed, we will not be able to do even the things we are doing now because we are operating at less than 60 per cent of revenues as of 2015, today.”

According to him, government was meeting with resistance in the war against graft, which he vowed must be won to enable the country to move on.

“Every time you fight corruption the way we are trying to fight corruption, there is a major fight back, because corruption in this country is wealthy, powerful, influential and it is in every aspect of our lives.

“It is in practically all institutions including religious institutions.

“The social media campaign of bring back corruption is an orchestrated one. Nobody that is suffering can say bring back corruption.

“Attempts by those who are being tried for corruption to delay trials is also part of the orchestrated campaign. If we don’t speak up against corrupt officials who make it look as if there is a witch-hunt, then we will not succeed in the fight.

“Government needs everybody to speak up. We have a serious battle in our hands and if we don’t win that battle, this country will never get to the path of sustainable development.

“The major problem that this country has suffered so far is the looting of its resources. We must fight corruption hard. It is a tough one but we must fight it,” he said.

Osinbajo remarked that if the administration stayed the course, the country would not only get out of recession, but would also go to the path of sustainable development.

“If we don’t fight corruption, all we are doing is a waste. If a few can pillage the resources of the nation and get away with it, then we will just continue to go around with it,” he added.

While noting that government was committed to the rule of law, he admonished that there could be no gain without pain.

He promised the labour leaders that the Federal Government would carry them along in its implementation of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) expected to be launched at end of this month.

He said: “There is so much we can do with the Nigerian economy. We are going to be consulting with the labour unions and civil societies on our Economic Recovery and Growth Plan which we intend to launch this month.

“There is supposed to be a consultation on it so that we can take a look at the issues that are important especially to labour and civil societies and we can incorporate them into the plan,” he said.

The protest, which commenced at the Unity Fountain, by Transcorp Hilton Hotel, saw the protesters passing through the federal secretariat, three-arm zone, to the Presidential Villa and the National Assembly.

As they addressed the gathering intermittently, their major demands included good governance, total and all inclusive anti-corruption fight, provision of infrastructure, new national minimum wage, total revamp of the economy, payment of salaries, pensions and gratuities as well as overall welfare of Nigerians.

While addressing the protesters, the NLC president said: “It is obvious that what we are doing today is in our best collective interest as working class and our families. As Nigerians, we must always make our voices known and heard very clearly. Today, with what is happening in our system, we are at the receiving end because it is virtually near absence of good governance. Corruption is also fighting back. With what is happening in our system, we are at the receiving end. These are serious challenges.

“At the height of this challenge is near absence of good governance, accountability, transparency. In any system that does not have those ingredients, certainly those that would suffer are the working class.  That is why today, we are marching to canvass for good governance and also to lend our voice to say that the fight against corruption should continue.”

Citing the report of NEITTI, Comrade Wabba said unremitting funds to the tune of $22 billion had been diverted, adding that “If we have that money, I am sure the challenge we are passing through will not be there. And what happened, a few people connived to transfer that money into personal accounts.

“We are saying government must implement that report. Whoever is affected, whoever is involved, that money must be recovered. We can’t be lamenting that there is no money, the economy is in recession, enough of lamentations. “

He said: “We must take our destinies in our own hands. We demand for accountability, we demand for transparency, demand for good governance, workers must not be made to be at the receiving end.

“The demand for minimum wage is legitimate. If governors are collecting maximum wage, of course, we don’t even have maximum wage, they are collecting over and above minimum wage, they were given bailout funds, they were given Paris Club refund. Those were diverted. In some states, we have pensioners who have not been paid for almost 77 months. Is that an attribute of governance?

“It is our fight, we must continue to be united in this fight against corruption.

“We must not allow a few in the system to take us for a ride. We demand for light.

“We must continue to remain very focused, galvanising genuine Nigerians, with genuine interest to work with us to make Nigeria a better place. We must not allow a situation where a few, because of their interest, will hold the system to ransom. We are demanding for increased light, they are saying pay for tariff, we are demanding for minimum wage, they say no, we are going to pay in percentages, this is not what we bargained for.

“This course is very genuine, it affects not only you, but your children’s children and generation yet to be born. How on earth, for instance, can somebody steal N1 billion? What would you do with N1 billion? One begins to wonder, yet these people are going about freely. We are demanding that they should be named and shamed, we are also demanding that one of their hands  should be cut off so that when we see somebody with one hand, we know that it is somebody that has stolen up to N1 billion.

“Please let us not be tired, not paying salaries is criminal, not paying pension is criminal, not increasing our wages is corruption. We demand for good governance, the fight against corruption must be total, and it must also receive our support.”

Kaigama, the TUC president said:  “It is only in Nigeria that corrupt people are being celebrated, we are stressing the fact that corruption must be fought to a standstill. Those who are aiding corruption should be prepared to face Nigerians. Those who escort criminals to the court should face the wrath of Nigerians.

“It is the Nigerian workers and the downtrodden that are suffering. There is recession because of the stolen wealth that has not been distributed evenly. The wealth, the bailout funds are being diverted. We will collaborate with the EFCC and ICPC to track the funds and ensure that such people are dealt with.”

Another labour leader, Comrade Isah Aremu, said: “The labour movement has been consistent in the fight against corruption and the fight for good governance.  Everything that the NLC argued for has come to pass, you can remember last year that the NLC and the TUC came out against the fuel price increase. Everything that the NLC said had become a reality. It is in our best interest to fight corruption, non-payment of salaries is official corruption.

“After that, we should fight for good governance, adequate minimum wage. You cannot fight corruption when workers are not paid, Nigeria cannot get out of recession without workers being paid. Celebration of convicts is not in the character of Nigerians. Why are people opposed to the confirmation of Magu?”

Also in Lagos, the protest, which started from Labour House, Yaba, through Ikorodu Road, ended at Lagos Secretariat.

Leading the protest in Lagos was the vice president of the NLC, Amaechi Asugwani, who hinted that workers intermittently appealed to the government to make changes that would impact positively on people.

According to Asugwani, “creating people-oriented policies would reduce the level of poverty in the country. This rally was necessitated by the outcry of people who are worried about the increasing cost of food, goods and services. We are demanding for a change. They promised us food, jobs, stable power supply but none has been done.

“The government should be sensitive to the plight of the people. It has not increased the salaries of workers and many companies have closed door because of poor power supply.”

On his part, the popular artiste and former president of Performing Musician Association of Nigeria (PMAN), Charles Oputa (Charly Boy), stated that Nigerians should watch out in the next two months for the giant of all rallies, as all businesses would be closed down.

He stressed that the mother of all rallies would take place in April, saying enough was enough.

Also speaking, Human Rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to prosecute those who diverted the money meant for the internally displaced persons (IDPs).

He disclosed this at Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s office when the labour union took the protest to his office.

Falana, while appreciating the organised labour, said: “President Buhari should flush out corrupt officials out of his government and those involved in the diversion of IDPs’ money should be prosecuted.”

He also charged state governments to join the fight against corruption.

“In spite of the promises made by this government to make life good for the people, pensioners are dying, things are getting difficult everyday. I urged organised labour to ensure payment of pensions and salaries of workers. Despite recession, convoys of governors are still very long and they still purchase cars,” he said.

Responding, Commissioner for Establishment, Mr Akintola Benson, promised to deliver the message to the governor.