•Declare president silent on wage award, fixing of refineries
•Hundreds protest in Kano over fuel price hike, others
•No room for violent protest, IGP warns NLC
•Orders tight security nationwide
Deji Elumoye, Onyebuchi Ezigbo, Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja, Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia, and Ahmad Sorondinki in Kano
All is set for the commencement, today, of a planned nationwide protest by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) to compel the federal government to implement measures to cushion the hardship forced on Nigerians by the removal of petrol subsidy. President of NLC, Joe Ajaero, who disclosed this to journalists last night in Abuja, said reports flying around that the congress had suspended the mass action were the handiwork of mischief-makers working against the interest of Nigerians.
TUC also directed all its state councils in the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, to mobilise for the protest today.
But Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, yesterday, warned that the police will not allow any violent protest or act that could threaten the peace and well-being of the country.
The warning came on a day over 100 members of the Joint Action Front (JAF) took to the streets in Kano to protest against the increase in petrol pump price, electricity tariff, and education tuition fees.
Mobilisation for the nationwide protest by NLC followed the congress’ rejection of the policy measures unveiled by President Bola Tinubu in his national broadcast on Monday.
Ajaero said the meeting with the representatives of the federal government did not change anything. He directed the state councils of the congress to mobilise for the mass action.
Ajaero said, in a statement yesterday, “We have neither reconsidered nor suspended the nationwide mass protest. We want to inform all Nigerians that we have just risen from a meeting with the federal government, where we sought to get them to listen to the demands of the people and workers of Nigeria.
“The outcome of this meeting earlier today has, however, not changed anything or the course, which we have set for ourselves tomorrow as custodians of the interests and desires of Nigerian workers and people.
“Nigerians are advised to ignore the work of fifth columnists, who are working hard against the wishes of the people. We urge everyone to gather in our respective states and wherever we may be across the nation to give vent to this collective resolve. Once again, the Nationwide Mass Protest will start tomorrow.” NLC listed its demands as immediate implementation of resolutions reached with the congress, jointly signed with the government and TUC, as well as “immediate reversal of all anti-poor policies of the government, such as hike in school fees of tertiary institutions and fuel price”.
Other demands include fixing of local refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna; release of eight months withheld salaries of university lecturers and workers; appropriate recognition and support to the presidential steering committee and the work of its sub-committees; and cessation of inhumane actions and policies of government.
Apart from failing to address the workers’ demand for a wage award to cushion hardship brought by the abrupt fuel subsidy removal, NLC said the president’s speech did not name those behind the government’s allegation of fuel subsidy scam, and it was silent on the issue of repair of the refineries.
Earlier yesterday, Head of Information and Publicity at NLC, Mr. Benson Upah, said clear directives had been given to all the branches of the congress to ensure full mobilisation of workers for the protest.
Upah told THISDAY that preparation had been concluded for the nationwide protest. He said baring any last minute intervention by government, Nigerian workers would march in protest simultaneously across the country against the anti-poor policies.
Although Upah did not disclose the details of the routes for the protest march, he said, “Wednesday’s protest will begin from the Unity Fountain in Abuja by 7am before proceeding to other places. The protest is going to commence simultaneously in the 36 states capitals and the FCT.”
As at yesterday, all the affiliates of NLC, including the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other university workers, had indicated their readiness to join the protest as directed by the labour centre.
ASUU president, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, was quoted as telling journalists yesterday that the union will join the protest.
Osodeke said, “We are still consulting with our members, but we are members of NLC, so it is definite. If NLC says there will be a demonstration, we are members with them so we will definitely join.”
NLC rejected the policy measures unveiled by Tinubu in his national broadcast, saying they fall short of the expectations of Nigerian workers.
It said until workers saw real commitment by government to do the needful to improve the lot of Nigerians and ameliorate the sufferings workers and ordinary Nigerians were going through, the union will continue with the struggle.
In a statement titled, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Speech – Not the Silver Bullet that Nigerians Expected,” NLC said the government’s proposed measures failed to meet the expectations of the Nigerian masses.
It stated regarding Monday’s presidential broadcast, “Our review of today’s broadcast by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu leaves us with the impression that the promises and assurances made by President Tinubu is not the silver bullet that Nigerians expected. The speech, indeed, appears to be out of touch with reality and anomalous with the hardship and suffering that most Nigerians are going through now.”
The statement signed by the NLC president said though the opening speech by Tinubu conveyed a commitment to a better and productive economy, it was expected that the next thing would be how the government planned to resuscitate the comatose public refineries.
It said the entire speech by Tinubu was silent on the repair of the refineries.
NLC also said workers were concerned that Tinubu failed to unmask those behind the looting of Nigeria’s commonwealth under the guise of petrol subsidy.
It stated, “It is unacceptable for the President and Commander-in-Chief to lament like ordinary Nigerians about a group that Mr. President routinely referred to in his speech as the ‘elites of the elites’ who have stolen so much from Nigeria that they have become so powerful as to constitute a threat to democratic governance.
“What Nigerians expected from Mr. President is a firm commitment to bring these economic saboteurs to justice and recover what they have stolen.
“Third, Mr. President’s statement on working with organised labour to review the national minimum wage is out of sync with what has played out since President Tinubu removed the so-called petrol subsidy.”
The labour movement deplored the treatment they were subjected to in all the meetings scheduled by the government. It said labour was forced to negotiate with empty chairs on the federal government’s side.
It said the sub-committee on wage award had neither been inaugurated nor met.
NLC expressed dismay that while Tinubu in his speech lavishly praised the private sector for quickly dispensing wage award to their employees, the federal government failed to do the same for public sector workers.
It stated, “This is a clear case of failing woefully to live up to the standards it has set for others to meet. It is open knowledge that the review of the national minimum wage is a matter of the law which is expected to happen in 2024.
“How would Nigerian workers cope with the current reality of hyperinflation and suffering unleashed by the hasty removal of the so-called petrol subsidy till 2024, when the national minimum wage would be reviewed? This is incredible.
“Fourth, the claims of interventions by the federal government through palliatives, loans and conditional grants to poor Nigerians, big manufacturing concerns and small businesses, and provision of CNG buses remain what they are – promises! Nigerians are used to such promises, which have never produced any verifiable and meaningful changes in the lives of citizens.
“Fifth, for many Nigerians, it is incomprehensible that the principal actors in the current government, including Mr. President himself, were clear in 2012 on the need to tackle the fundamental issues that brought about petrol subsidy.
“Those issues included the failure of previous governments to repair our national refineries and bring those behind the monumental subsidy sleaze to book. Today, these issues were swept under the carpet in President Tinubu’s speech. Nigerians wonder ‘what has changed?’
“Finally, we wish to assure Nigerians that the Nigeria Labour Congress remains committed to matching discussions with government with the current realities of sufferings that Nigerians are going through. Until we see real commitment by government to do the needful to improve the lot of Nigerians and ameliorate the sufferings workers and ordinary Nigerians are going through, we remain committed to continue with our struggle.”
Ahead of the planned nationwide protest by NLC and TUC, the organised labour in Nasarawa State, yesterday, commenced mobilisation of workers to participate fully. The state chairman of NLC, Ismaila Oko, disclosed this at the end of an emergency meeting with leaders of all the unions that make up the organised labour in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital.
Oko said the workers had been mobilised to come out in large numbers and gather along Lafia – Shendam road, in the state capital, to proceed with the protest.
He noted that workers were committed to the protest as directed by the national body of NLC to draw the attention of government to measures towards reducing the hardship as a result of the removal of fuel subsidy.
The state chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Salihu Alkali, pointed out that the situation was becoming unbearable. According to him, “Most workers can no longer afford three square meals since the increase in the price of petrol.”
Similarly, TUC, in a statement issued last night and jointly signed by TUC president Festus Osifo and General Secretary Nuhu Toro, directed all affiliates and state councils of congress, “To mobilise their members for action by midnight of today, 1st August, 2023.”
It said the hike in the pump price of petrol had brought untold hardship on Nigerians, with many having to trek kilometres to work and places of business.
TUC stated, “Organisations have shut down and workers laid off because of the anti-poor policy.
“The congress is not averse to the removal of subsidy; we support the fact that it has to be removed, but there must be measures in place to ameliorate its effect on Nigerians. And such measures include: fixing of the refineries and possibly building more; functional transportation system; living wage; good medical facilities; and employment.
“The policy was not thought through, which is why its impact is excruciating on Nigerians. Sadly, when Nigerians cried out, the federal government proposed a paltry sum of N8, 000 for poor families without details on mode of payment.
“Annoyingly, also, the same government is giving a whopping sum of N70 billion to 469 lawmakers and N39 billion to the judiciary. The injustice and impunity cannot be tolerated.”
Osifo said three days ago, the organised labour (TUC/NLC) was at the villa for a meeting with the federal government to discuss further on the palliatives, but government boycotted the meeting, slowing down the negotiation process.
The statement said, “Nigerians are dying and we cannot afford to keep quiet any longer. The federal government must realise that governance goes beyond declaration of emergency on food security; it is time to swing into action to avert the starvation in the land. Government promised to attract investors when they win elections, which we have not seen.
“They should go abroad, get investors, create more decent jobs and provide an enabling environment for investment in terms of security and others. It is when more people get employed that taxes can be paid and government will have more money.
“The exchange rate is abysmally high and stifling businesses. This has affected the cost of production and inflation rate. Naira should not be on a free fall; no country allows that. Nigeria is dollar dependent and our only major source of forex is oil and, painfully, we cannot refine our crude.
“The federal government has failed to manage it forex well and it is taking toll on the pockets of Nigerians. Government must come up with good monetary policies that will help investments and also empower the naira.”
However, Chief of Staff to the President, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, described organised labour as a listening organisation that would not go ahead with its planned protests after listening to Tinubu’s national broadcast.
Hundreds Protest in Kano Over Increase in Fuel Price, Others
Over 100 members of the Joint Action Front (JAF), on Tuesday, took to the streets of Kano to protest against the increase in petrol pump price, electricity tariff, and education tuition fees.
Speaking on behalf of the group, shortly after the protest, its chairperson, Dr. Dipo Fashina, took a swipe at the Tinubu administration for introducing anti-people policies.
Fashina also urged Nigerians to reject International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank policies of privatisation and deregulation.
He stated, “Government has a responsibility to make our refineries to work and build new ones in order to ensure availability of petroleum products (petrol, diesel, kerosene, aviation fuel) at cheaper and affordable prices to all.”
JAF called for, “Total reversal of the capitalist policies of privatisation and deregulation, which have been responsible for non-functioning of the local refineries, looting by government officials and fuel marketers through fuel importation and the subsidy fraud.”
According to Fashina, “Government, in obedience to Section 16 of the 1999 Constitution, on Economic Objectives, should respect the provisions, which state that: the economic system is not operated in such manner as to permit the concentration of wealth or means of production; and exchange in the hands of few individuals or of a group.”
JAF called for, “Unconditional implementation of a new national minimum living wage across board and payment of all outstanding allowances and arrears to all categories of public and private employees, and adequate funding of public education at all levels.”
No Room for Violent Protest, IGP Warns
Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, yesterday, warned that the police would not allow any violent protest or act capable of threatening the peace and well-being of the nation.
Egbetokun said any attempt by miscreants to exploit the situation for violent purposes, including vandalism, gangsterism, and extortion would be met with firm, professional and commensurate lawful approach.
A statement signed by spokesman of the Nigeria Police, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the police high command was deeply concerned about recent developments regarding planned nationwide protests by NLC and TUC.
The statement said while being mindful of the right to peaceful protest, as enshrined in the constitution, the IGP urged all parties involved to ensure that the planned demonstrations were conducted in a peaceful manner to prevent being hijacked by miscreants, owing to the previous ugly experiences of such protests in some parts of the country.
The police said, “The IGP, however, acknowledges the grievances raised by the labour unions and the importance of constructive dialogue, which is sine qua non in addressing these issues.
“In light of this, the IGP orders the Commissioners of Police in charge of various commands, and supervisory Assistant Inspectors-General of Police, to engage in fruitful discussions with the NLC/TUC leadership to foster understanding and reach common grounds on the planned protests.
“A peaceful and coordinated approach is crucial to achieving meaningful solutions and preventing any form of violence or disruptions to public order, should the protests persist.”
The police reiterated its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all citizens during the period of the planned protests. It said necessary measures to facilitate the peaceful conduct of the demonstrations had been put in place.
“However, it is hereby reaffirmed that any attempt by miscreants to exploit the situation for violent purposes viz-a-viz vandalism, gangsterism, and extortion, will be met with firm, professional and commensurate lawful approach,” the statement said.
It added, “The police will not tolerate any act that threatens the peace and well-being of our country.
“In light of the potential challenges posed by the planned protests, the Nigeria Police Force is fully prepared to deploy all available resources to maintain law and order and to protect the lives and property of our citizens.
“The IGP, therefore, calls on all officers to be vigilant, professional, and uphold the highest standards of conduct during this period.”
The police boss urged all stakeholders, including the NLC, TUC, and other civil society groups, to embrace peaceful dialogue as the most effective means of resolving grievances, while also reemphasising that the police remained committed to ensuring a secure and conducive environment for open dialogue, constructive engagement and mutual understanding for a seamless exercise of civil rights.
