Labour, Interest Groups Coalition Reject Protests In Cross River

• Say State yet to recover from #EndSARS’ sorrow, misery
• Pledge support for ‘People’s First’ agenda of Gov Otu

BY UBON EKANEM, CALABAR – With the massive destruction that trailed the 2020 #EndSARS demonstration still fresh in their minds, the Organised Labour and coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Cross River State have distanced themselves from the planned nationwide protest scheduled to flag-off today, Thursday, August 1, 2024

They warned that the protest is an ill-wind that will blow no good to the State, and have therefore opted to embark on “Operation Protect” the South South State from any action aimed at disrupting public peace as well as causing harm to either public or private property.

In disassociating themselves from the planned protest at a joint press conference in Calabar, the various interest groups, pledged their support for Governor Bassey Otu-led administration while stressing the need for dialogue, peaceful expressions of grievances and engagement with government and relevant authorities.

Leading the charge in rejecting the protest option, State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Gregory Olayi, said their decision to stay-off the streets was based on the bad and ugly experience of 2020 #EndSARS protests where goods and public infrastructures and private property worth several billions of Naira were lost due to the evil activities of hoodlums who hijacked the protest.

According to Comrade Olayi, though things are tough for everyone, protests should not be an option, adding; “We, the workers in Cross River State, are not participating and are distancing ourselves from this protest. Cross River has been set back by about 25 years because of #EndSARS protest of 2020”.

Comrade Olayi, who lamented that the State is yet to fully recover from the #EndSARS trauma, directed workers to shun any form of protest because the Organised Labour has decided to embrace peace and dialogue rather than going the way of public protest

At the media briefing with the NLC Chairman were Trade Union Congress (TUC) Chairman; the Chairmen of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Cross River State chapter; Market Women Association; National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN); Civil Society Network (CSN); and Unified Commercial Drivers Association (UCDA) among others.

The Coalition commended Governor Bassey Edet Otu for reinventing the state and vowed not to fold their arms and allow criminal elements to hide under the cloak of protest to destroy what have been achieved by the present administration in the past one year.

Comrade Olayi said the Coalition cannot stay aloof and watch “a group of faceless persons, who have refused to unveil their identity, come and destroy our state in the name of hardship protest”.

Further amplifying the group’s position, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Chairman, Comrade Monday Ugbodum slammed organisers of the planned protest for lack of transparency in the arrangements, describing them as “faceless.”

Similarly, a representative from the Coalition of the Civil Society Network (CSN), while acknowledging the rights of citizens to protest, warned against the destructive aftermath, with reference to the #EndSARS protests.

Noting that “Protesters are driven by hunger, poverty, and hyper inflationary trends in the country”, he proposed that citizens’ protests should however take the “form of Town-Hall meetings”.

In his intervention, the Chairman of Youth Council of Nigeria (YCN), Cross River State Chapter, His Youthfulness Olay Emmanuel, State insisted that dialogue should always take precedence over protest in any engagement with constituted authorities.

“We acknowledge the challenges but have chosen dialogue as our approach. We have a governor who listens, and we cannot let a few dictate the outcome. We will document the issues young people face and present them to the government”, he posited

On his part, Mr Nta Effiom Henshaw of the Unified Commercial Drivers Association (UCDA) said all well-meaning Cross Riverians and residents of the State should rally round the Prince Bassey Otu-led “People’s First” administration to shun the planned protest and work for the overall development and economic growth of the State.

Hear him; “We do not support any kind of protest. We remember the hardships of 2020 and cannot endure that again. We have only one state, and we must protect it”.

Other stakeholders at the joint media briefing also took turns in saying “No To Protests” in Cross River State.