Labour Unions Launch Indefinite Protest Against ‘Anti-People’ Policies

Protesters demanded, among other things, a reduction in the price of petrol and an increase in the minimum salary from N30,000 to N200,000.

The Organised Labour has begun its protest against President Bola Tinubu’s “anti-people” policies in Abuja and other states of the Federation, including Lagos, Benue, Abia, Plateau, Kaduna, Kano, Rivers, Zamfara, Katsina, Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu, Kwara, Ogun, Imo, Ondo, and Edo.

On Wednesday morning, members of the Organised Labour with various union paraphernalia gathered at Abuja’s renowned Unity Fountain for the demonstration.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) from the FCT were observed at the Unity Fountain with hundreds of their members.

Affiliated unions of the NLC and the TUC, including the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), the National Union of Electricity Employees of Nigeria (NUEE), the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), joined the nationwide protest.

There were a significant number of security operatives at the Unity Fountain, including members of the Nigeria Police Force and men from the Department of State Services (DSS), as well as security operatives at the several protest sites around the states.

NLC President Joe Ajaero told Channels Television at the demonstration site that “nothing is stopping the protest, not even an overture from the government.”

He stated that the demonstration will not be called off until the government responds in the desired manner.

According to Ajaero, the response of the states will determine “whether the protest will be from today, tomorrow, next, or till thy kingdom come, it is not by using force.”

“We are here to protest and to make a statement that since we began negotiating, we have nothing in our hands,” he added.

Following that, the demonstrators marched to the National Assembly and the Three Arms Zone (entrance to the Presidential Villa), where labour representatives promised to send their messages to the government.

Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, issued a warning on Tuesday against “violent mass protests” across the country.

Tinubu eliminated petrol subsidies during his epic inauguration speech on May 29, 2023, with a litre of petrol soaring from N184 to almost N620 and food prices and general inflation galloping at an unprecedented rate.

The NLC issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Federal Government last week, demanding “the immediate reversal of all anti-poor policies of the federal government, including the recent hike in PMS (Premium Motor Spirit) price, increase in public school fees and the release of the eight months withheld salary of university lecturers and workers.”

The union also asked an increase in the minimum salary from N30,000 to N200,000, claiming that Nigerians’ peace of mind has been shattered since the President’s “subsidy is gone” inaugural speech on May 29, 2023.

Several discussions between the Presidency and unions on palliatives for Nigerians enduring hardship as a result of the loss of petrol subsidies were fruitless.

Furthermore, the intervention of the Senate and the House of Representatives was ineffective since the unions claimed that the government’s palliatives package was out of touch with the economic reality that Nigerians face.

Tinubu promised to evaluate workers’ earnings and the minimum wage in a broadcast to Nigerians on Monday night, in a last-minute bid to appease the agitated unions.

He also announced a N75 billion palliative for the manufacturing sector, saying 75 enterprises will benefit over a nine-month period from the third quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of next year. Tinubu went on to announce a N125 billion fund to revitalise “this very important sector.”

According to him, plans have been established “to invest N100 billion between now and March 2024 to acquire 3000 units of 20-seater CNG-fueled buses.”

However, the NLC immediately criticised the President’s palliative measures to cushion the sting of the removal of petrol subsidies on Nigerians, claiming that the programmes to be implemented by the All Progressives Congress (APC) government are completely disconnected from the economic realities and hardships currently being faced by poor citizens.

The union stated that “President Tinubu’s promises and assurances are not the silver bullet that Nigerians expected.”

According to the NLC, the President was supposed to tell Nigerians about his plans to resurrect public refineries that have been dormant for many years, but he remained mum on the subject.