The workers’ protest staged by the organised labour unions in Kogi State was peaceful and crisis-free, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
The protest was in compliance with a directive from the National Headquarters of NLC, which had declared a two-day national protest after the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum given to the Federal Government to implement the union’s demands.
Addressing the protesting workers who filed out on the streets of Lokoja metropolis, the state chairman of the NLC, Gabriel Amari, said the prevailing hardships in the country was caused by “government’s unfriendly policies and programmes”.
Mr Amari called on the federal government to reverse some of its policies that had brought untold hardships to Nigerians.
“This protest is never a coup or a threat against the government but to impress on the government to quickly alleviate the suffering of the masses.
“Unfortunately, the federal government has failed to implement the 15-point agreements reached with the NLC in October 2023, after the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum.
“The protest is to tell the whole world that Nigerians are dying because of the policies of the government adopted from the IMF and World Bank, which led to the devaluation of our Naira.
“This has put Nigeria into an entire crisis; there is no food, hunger is everywhere; workers cannot sponsor their children to school. People are dying because they can no longer meet their health needs.”
The NLC chairperson lamented the situation where people were losing their jobs on a daily basis and “we can’t fold our hands and watch.
“We won’t allow a select few people to come up with policies that are detrimental to our existence as a people”.
Mr Amari commended the workers for turning out en masse to participate in the national protests and for conducting themselves peacefully.
Also, the Chairman, the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), Kogi council, Monday Aduku, said, “We will keep pressing until the government listens to our cry.
“It’s unfortunate that the only way the ordinary people can express their grievances is to demonstrate to prove to the government that they are suffering.
“Government should look critically into petroleum pricing, and do whatever they can do in the interim to alleviate the suffering of the people.”
The state’s Chairman, Radio, Television Theatre and Art Workers’ Union (RATTAWU), Haruna Isa, said the present economic hardship was unbearable for the masses.
Mr Isa said that the protest was not in the interest of workers alone but for the generality of the poor masses.
“We are using this protest as a medium to call on President Bola Tinubu to help us.
“I am very optimistic that the president will listen to our cry after this peaceful protest and ensure that the needful is done to alleviate the suffering of the masses,” Mr Isa said.
NAN reports that the protest witnessed the presence of the police and other security agencies, who gave the protesters cover and ensured a peaceful procession.
The protest had a massive turnout of workers and began at the NLC House.
It took them through major streets in the Lokoja metropolis before going back to the Labour House, where it terminated.
(NAN)
