FG Urges NLC To Shelve Planned Protest

The Federal Government has appealed to the Nigeria Labour Congress to shelve its planned nationwide protest slated for February 27 and 28, 2024.

The Minister of Information, Muhammad Idris, who spoke after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Monday, said the Federal Government had fulfilled almost all the demands put forward by the labour union.

“All the 15 points that were agreed upon with Labour in October last year have almost been fulfilled, over 80% compliance by the Federal Government,” the minister said.

“Nigeria is going through challenges at the moment. We don’t think that it is the right time for Labour to embark on any kind of protest whatsoever.

“So, we are calling on the Nigeria Labour Congress to see reason and also we are also thanking other affiliates of the Organised Labour like the TUC (Trade Union Congress) and about 65 other organisation who are seeing things the way the Federal Government is seeing it by saying they are not going to join the Nigeria Labour Congress protest.”

Meanwhile, the NLC had threatened to shut down its services all over the country if labour members are attacked during its planned two-day protest beginning Tuesday.

NLC President, Joe Ajaero, also said there is no going back on the planned industrial action.

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.

Ajaero said, “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.”