The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), an umbrella body of more than 50 unions in Nigeria, has threatened to shut down services beginning from Tuesday over the current hardship in Nigeria ostensibly caused by economic reforms.
The President of NKC, Mr Joe Ajaero,said there is no going back on the planned industrial action even though some Civil Society Organisations and the Trade Union Congress have backed out the planned two-day national strike..
The NLC said the Federal Government must put on its thinking cap and implement its agreement with the Organised Labour as well as address the mounting economic crisis of survival in Nigeria.
Nigeria is battling rising inflation, food inflation, forex crisis, economic hardship and high cost of living occasioned by the removal of petrol subsidy, attracting protests in parts of the country.
Despite subtle pressure from the government for the group not to embark on the planned strike, the NLC said its member won’t be cowed to shelve their proposed nationwide protest.
“All we are saying now is that; let there be food for the people, let the people live in safety, let the people live a life of dignity devoid of suffocating IMF/World Bank economic policies,” the group said.
Labour also raised the alarm that plans have been perfected to attack planned peaceful rallies across the country.
“We would want the State to know that the solution to our horrible economic situation and hunger is not by suppressing peaceful dissent or inflicting violence on peacefully protesting citizens as the government did in Minna and other cities where its agents tear-gassed and beat up women before locking them up for raising their voice against hunger. It does not lie in the deployment of State -sponsored terror. The pangs of hunger cannot be cowed by bullets or tear gas.
“In light of this, we at the Nigeria Labour Congress and civil society allies are moving ahead with our protest rallies against economic hardship and insecurity in line with the decision of the National Executive Council.”
The Congress alleged that the State has perfected plans to launch attack against the two-day nationwide peaceful rallies.
Ajaero made the allegation in a statement he personally signed and made available to newsmen on Sunday in Abuja.
In a swift response, however, the Federal Government denied the allegation describing it as “speculative” .
Mr Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy said, by raising the allegation, “NLC is feeling guilty in hatching its hidden agenda influenced by partisan considerations’.
Onanuga spoke on the alleged attack, said the planned protest is illegal as it is against a subsisting order of court.
He said the NLC had hidden agenda because most of the issues raised by labour for embarking on the protest had been addressed by the government.
Ajaero in his statement titled, “As the State Prepares to Unleash Violence on us” alleged that one of the groups being primed to attack the peaceful rallies is by a nebulous name, Nigeria Civil Society Forum (NCSF).
“NCSF is one of the emergency groups put together, funded, promoted and remote-controlled by government to cause violence against our members for electing to peacefully protest against the hunger in the land.
“We would want the State to know that the solution to our horrible economic situation and hunger is not by suppressing peaceful dissent or inflicting violence on peacefully protesting citizens,” he said.
Ajaero insisted that the NLC and civil society allies were moving ahead with the protest rallies against economic hardship and insecurity in line with the decision of the National Executive Council.
“As citizens, we have a fundamental right to peaceful protest and history bears us witness that our protests are always peaceful except in instances of State-engineered violence.
“In light of this, we advise the State to put on its thinking cap and find solutions to the pains it continues to cause the people instead of further dehumanising them,” he said.
Onanuga, however insisted that the issues raised by the labour had been addressed by the government, including the payment of wage award of N35,000 for six months.
He said the money had been paid to civil servants up till the month of January 2024 and only that of the month of February is outstanding.
The President’s aide said the federal government had inaugurated a 37-Member Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage to review and come up with an acceptable and sustainable Minimum Wage for the Nigerian Workers.
He said government had made substantial financial commitments on the provision of CNG Buses and conversion Kits.
According to Onanuga, the busses will be rolled out very soon to alleviate the transportation challenges being faced by Nigerians.