By Ayodele Oni
One of the fallouts of Wednesday’s peaceful protest by workers is the pulling down of the gate to the National Assembly by protesters who marched on the complex to kick against the fuel subsidy removal by the federal government.
The protesters pulled down the first gate of the National Assembly and subsequently converged on the premises.
Immediate past President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, addressed protesters in Abuja.
He berated successive governments for the failure to fix Nigeria’s oil refineries.
He queried why the Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries have not been fixed in spite of the many promises made by the federal government.
He lamented the fact that Nigeria was the only oil producing country in the world that did not have a single functional refinery.
He accused the political elite and their businessmen collaborators of stripping the country of her wealth.
According to him, “the rich few are holding Nigeria by the throat. They are milking the poor dry.”
In Ondo state, the Organized Labour asked the federal government led by President Bola Tinubu to immediately reduce the cost of governance to cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal.
Speaking, the State NLC Chairman, Mr Victor Amoko, said the removal of the fuel subsidy was timely, but lamented how its effect had been biting hard on the Nigerian masses.
Amoko, who read the position of the National body of the union during the street demonstration, said every household in the nation is feeling the hardship due to the policies of the government.
He noted that the increment in the price of petrol has led to astronomical increases in transportation fares, food, goods and services, tuition fees and the cost of accessing quality healthcare services in the country.
“We are calling for the immediate reversal of all anti-poor policies of the government including recent hikes in PMS prices, School fees and VAT. We also want all our local refineries both in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna to be fixed.
“We also want the federal government to release the eight-month withheld salaries of University lecturers and workers among several others.
“It’s like suffering and smiling. There must be an end to that it. We are also calling for the need to urgently address the increasing cost of governance at all levels.
“We also reject plans by the National Assembly to spend N70 billion when Nigerian masses are facing hardship. The government should be sensitive to the plight of our people.
“You saved money from the subsidy. We agreed but what is the money saved from it meant for? We want to know. We also want to know those masquerades that had been hijacking our resources unmasked,”
The State Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mr Clement Fatuase, said the federal government should allow the “poor to breathe”, noting that the inhuman policies introduced by the government will not be tolerated.
He, however, urged the government to quickly implement people-centred agreements reached with organized labour to avoid further crippling of the economy.
“The federal government should allow the poor to breathe because this is a warning signal that If they are determined to make life difficult for us. We are going to resist it even with the last drop of blood in our bodies.
“So, this is a march for the survival of Nigeria and Nigerians, we say no to anti-people policies. We want the President to listen to our plight.”
Addressing the labour leaders, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu appreciated organized labour for not resorting to disorderliness.
Akeredolu, who was represented by Mr Dare Aragbaye, the Special Adviser on Union Matters, said the decision of the unions would be conveyed to the President.
“We have received your letter and it would be conveyed to Mr President. We don’t have any objection to your demands because we have seen your placards.
“There is no way he would know if you had not come out to articulate your demands. With this action, you have make the President know that there’s a need to be sensitive to the plight of the Nigerian workers.
“I can assure you that this letter would be conveyed to the president and these demands of the workers would be addressed.”
