By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress NLC), Kogi council, Gabriel Amari, on Tuesday in Lokoja urged the Federal Government to reverse its policies that could reduce hardships on Nigerians.
Amari made the call during the National Protest Rally organised by Kogi state chapter of NLC on Tuesday in Lokoja in line with the National Headquarters’ declaration for a two-day national protests after the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum given to the Federal Government to implement the union’s demands.
Amari said the rally was declared by National body of NLC to protest against the current economic hardships, hunger, poverty and insecurity in the country.
He stressed that the hardship was occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy and some policies of President Bola Tinubu which had brought untold hardships to Nigerians.
He noted that the protest was never a coup or a threat against the government but to impress on government to quickly put some measures in place to alleviate the suffering of the masses.
According to him, 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 given by the union.
“The protest is to tell the whole world that Nigerians are dying because of the draconian policies of the Federal Government adopted from the IMF and World Bank which have led to the devaluation of our naira.
“This has put Nigeria into entire crises; 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.”
“People are losing their jobs on daily basis; we cannot fold our hands in the same country we called ours and allow selected few people to come up with draconian policies that are detriment to our existence as a people.
“We want President Tinubu to reverse his policies because they do not favour us,” he said.
Amari commended the workers for turning out en masse to participate in the national protests and conducting themselves peacefully.
He added: “Today, I am happy by the large turnouts of workers in Kogi for the protest because I never knew they still have the strength to come out in spite the hunger and hardships;, I am highly overwhelmed”.
Also speaking, the Chairman, National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), Kogi council, Monday Aduku, said NLC had given enough time to government to meet their demands but all to no avail.
“The only way the ordinary people can express their grievances is to demonstrate to prove to the government and the World that we are suffering. As a labour centre, we will keep pressing until the government listens to our cry.”
“I am happy that the generality of Nigerians are in support of NLC on the protests. I advise government to look critically into petroleum pricing, and do whatever they can do in the interim to alleviate the suffering of the people,” Aduku said.
On his part, the State’s Chairman, Radio Television Theatre and Art Workers’ Union (RATTAWU) Kogi, Haruna Isa, said the present economic hardship was unbearable for the masses.
“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,” Isa said.
The protest in Kogi witnessed the presence of the Police and other security agencies to ensure a peaceful procession.
The protest which witness massive turnouts of workers, was kick-started at the NLC House, 200 Housing Unit, Lokoja through to the Dunamis Church junction and back to the Labour House where it was terminated.
