Adebayo Adenrele
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ekiti State Chapter on Tuesday commences protest against hunger and hardship in the land, demanding solution to solve the crisis, as directed by its National body.
The train of the protest which took off from Governor’s Office Junction moved through Okesa, Erekesan to Fajuyi amidst thorough supervision by large number of policemen to avoid highjack of the rally by hoodlums.
The protesters who appeared in various labour uniforms clutched placards with different inscriptions, such as “Cement price for #7000 now”, “Say no to hunger”, “Go back to #100 per litre, we are tired”, “Stop subsidising the rich, let the poor breath”, among others.
Speaking with Journalists in Ado-Ekiti, the NLC Chairman, Comrade Kolapo Olatunde noted that the surge in the price of food and other commodities has made life almost unbearable for common Nigerians.
The protesters in their large number later gathered at Fajuyi center of Ado-Ekiti, where they barricaded the roads leading to the Oba Market, Bashiri and Adebayo area for almost two hours just to show their grievances.
NLC leader urged President Tinubu to hold meetings with well-meaning and reliable stakeholders to device a means of addressing the current economic situation that has subjected all Nigerians to hardship.
He said, “In May last year, President Bola Tinubu withdrew the fuel subsidy and because of this , we have been telling the government the if this is done , it will result to hunger among Nigerians, prices of goods and services will go skyrocketed our market women and traders will be experiencing little or no patronage if at all they have goods to sell , then we protested against it but no step was taken.
“But on 2, October, 2023, the federal government call the leadership of the organised labour to a meeting to dialogue with and pacify Nigerian workers and they signed a 15 point agreement with us. But as I am speaking now, has not done anything about the agreement signed with the labour . One of the major part of the agreement is that the refineries will be fixed and will be made to work effectively and nothing has been done about this. Instead of us buying fuel at the rate of N197 per litre we are now buying it at about N700 per litre some are buying it N800 some even more than that . They also promised to approve new minimum wage within one to four months but as we speak, it just last month a committee that will look into that was inaugurated and the committee is yet to meet. And this 30 thousand minimum we are taking will expire next month, yet the federal government has not done anything. This is the reason why we are calling on them, that why did you refused to implement the agreement signed into? They are saying they will give our farmers, artisans and others money but nothing was forthcoming. They promised to give workers passenger buses being powered being powered by compressed natural gas (CNG) in all states of the federation , we didn’t see any apart from the one Governor Biodun Oyebanji made available to workers in the state.This is why we are staging this peaceful protest before we die of hunger.
“It is funny that a group of people were gathering and were saying they are no longer part of us and dissociating themselves from the masses, but we remain resolute, whatever that every commonman and the entire Nigerian workers deserve they must get and we will shall keep fighting for the right of the people.
“Therefore, we are calling on president, who is one of us and we know him as a reputable and person of integrity who will do what is right ans worthy.
“We are not fighting him know things may have gone wrong before he came to power but now that he has taken over mantle of leadership, he needs to always to stakeholders and technocrats that can give him good advice to transform and fix Nigeria.
“We want our country to get better and we know this country is flowing with milk and honey, it is only who does not what to get things done will think and act otherwise. If things done rightly, exchange rate will not go as high as N1900 to a US dollar and other hard currencies. We can continue to suffer like this in a nation that is bless like ours.
“We are fighting for the rights of the citizens, that’s why we are calling the President Tinubu who is also one of us, to do the right thing.”
Kolapo hailed Governor Biodun Oyebanji over the recent payment of pensioners and civil servants
arrears.
He, however noted that “cooperative deduction still remain six. We thank Governor Oyebanji that he extended the subvention to Ekiti State University, EKSUTH, BOUESTI, College in Ijero and Ijan and we know he will also settle those people in the Judiciary.”
Kolapo said the protest will continue till Thursday, 28th February, until the federal government heed to their demands.