Those Condemning Our Protests About Hunger Are Anti-People – NLC

• Ajaero says there’s ‘absolute hunger’ nationwide
• Laments non-implementation of new minimum wage

BY EDMOND ODOK – The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, has described those condemning the nationwide protest about biting hunger in the country and government’s failure to implement a new minimum wage as anti-people who should not be trusted.

Accordingly, he urged Nigerians to be wary of them because they are clearly collaborators with those whose policies, actions and inactions are now inflicting untold economic hardship in the country.

Speaking with newsmen in Abuja at the commencement of the protest on Tuesday, Comrade Ajaero said; “There’s absolute hunger in the land, and we’re told not to speak out; should we die of hunger?

“This protest is about minimum wage and hunger. What of those not working? When will minimum wages be completed and implemented? What will be the minimum wage that will end hunger?

“The United Nations said the poorest man should be fed on $2 daily. If you have a family of six people, you spend $12 daily and $360 monthly. This translates to about N700,000. This is on feeding alone; then there’s transportation, accommodation, and medical”.

Comrade President, who admitted that; “There was hunger in the land, but not this bad until deregulation”, accused the Federal Government of failing to implement proposals the NLC put forward by following the fuel subsidy removal.

“We made propositions after deregulation, but they were not implemented. If transportation issues were solved immediately after deregulation, 50 per cent of the problem would have been solved.

“Even when you process garri in the village, you need to transport it to town, and you add the expenses incurred to the cost. The moment PMS went up, there were issues”, Ajaero said.

The NLC President, while also alleging non-implementation of the much-touted cash transfer, CNG buses, and wage award by the government, said the Labour Movement will review the situation and engage on further measures to be taken going forward.

He commended the Nigerian workers and their Civil Society allies for braving all odds, including blackmail and intimidation by paid agents of government, to participate in the ongoing nationwide protest against hardship and excruciating hunger in the land.