NLC Steps Out Today On Nationwide Protest As Meeting With FG Stalemate

BY EDMOND ODOK – With the meeting between representatives of the Federal Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) ending in deadlock late on Monday, Nigerian workers are set to hit the streets today demanding an end to the economic hardship and suffering of the people.

Against the backdrop of NLC’s  declaring a two-day nationwide protest for February 27 and 28 following the failure of government to implement some of the agreements reached with the Congress, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, had on Monday, February 26 invited Labour leaders to his office in last-minute consultations and efforts to prevent the action.

In attendance at the hurriedly packaged meeting besides the SGF were Ministers of Labour and Employment; Budget and National Planning; and Agriculture; and Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

Others at the meeting in which government officials passionately urged labour leaders to shelve the plans as to avoid any breakdown of law and order, included Head of Service of the Federation (HSCF) and Director General of the Department of State Service (DSS).

It was reliably gathered that the government delegation strongly based its arguments on the fact that recent protests in some states of the Federation almost resulted in violence but for the quick intervention of security agents who prevented hoodlums from hijacking the process.

However, despite the labour leaders taking a break to engage themselves in further in-house consultation, NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, emerged from the parley with government to announce that the nationwide protest would be executed as planned because the intervention failed to yield the expected results.

Specifically, charging all the security agencies to protect the protesters, the Comrade President said notwithstanding the warning issued by the nation’s secret police, DSS, the peaceful action by the workers would still go on across the country.

According to him; “I would say despite the warning from the DSS, the rally goes on, but it is part of their (security agencies) constitutional responsibility to make sure that the rally is peaceful.
“And while we are going to try our own side to make sure it’s a peaceful rally, that’s all.”

On the Labour Movement’s decision to protest at the National Assembly, Comrade Ajaero explained thus; “Usually, there is no rally that we just do for the sake of walking around. We have demands that we present.

“Maybe by Tuesday, February 26 when we present these demands to the lawmakers, a copy of it will be officially made public”.

Meanwhile, emerging from the stalemated meeting, government officials rebuffed efforts to speak on the outcome with insiders hinting that hope is still not lost that the Labour leaders would see reason to appreciate the need for further engagement as conscious efforts are being to address the current suffering in the land.

So far, it is on record that arising from the biting hardship and rough economic times, the country has witnessed pockets of protests in states like Kano, Taraba, Niger, Osun and Oyo.

Also pockets of protests have been seen in places such as Lagos, Edo, Borno, and Sokoto, among other.

The message from hard-pressed citizens has remained the same on the need for government to take decisive actions in bringing the current suffering and economic hardship to an immediate end.