NLC to FG: Give farmers palliative, fix refineries to solve hardship

The members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), on Tuesday, February 27, 2024, took to the streets of Abuja to protest the economic hardship facing Nigerians and called on the Federal Government to ameliorate the situation.

The NLC members led by the president, Comrade Joe Ajaero, marched from the headquarters of the union through major streets of Abuja to the National Assembly, chanting solidarity and anti-government songs to protest what they termed unbearable economic hardship.

Most of the protesters were seen carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Tax the rich, subsidize the poor”, “Make our refineries work before removing subsidy”, and “Let the poor breath”, among others.

The NLC had accused President Bola Tinubu-led government of reneging on most of the palliatives it promised to ameliorate the pains of workers occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy on May 29, 2023.

Ajaero, who noted that the primary purpose of governance has always been the welfare and security of the citizens, lamented that Nigerians were struggling to survive the hunger and hardship the policies of the government have foisted on them.

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According to him, the government must without delay, rise up to its responsibility of implementing the welfare provisions as contained in Chapter 2 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), by creating employment opportunities for citizens through massive investment in agriculture and value-added manufacturing.

The NLC president, therefore, urged the government to immediately provide subsidies to farmers to boost agricultural production and food security, open all food silos, and enforce equitable distribution across the country.

Ajaero also called for increased efforts by the government to fix the abandoned factories, revive local production and patronage of made-in-Nigeria goods and services, invest massively in road-rail infrastructure as well as social housing, and also ensure electricity and water were available, affordable, and accessible to all citizens.

He said: “There is an urgent need for deployment of cheap mass transportation, buses powered by CNG to ease the crisis of transportation for the poor people.

“Government must put an end to further privatisation and liberalisation of the economy and take control of the commanding heights of the economy in line with section 16 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; Go after the oil subsidy cabal and other economic saboteurs instead of helpless Nigerians, put a stop to all dollarisation of the Nigerian economy.

“They must also put a stop to wasteful spending and profligacy in government; proper and adequate funding of education and health care at all levels.

“We want adequate provision for social security for the aged and the vulnerable; pay all outstanding wages and pensions at all tiers of the government, fast-track negotiation and implementation of the new national minimum wage.

“Finally, we call for the abandonment of IMF/World Bank policies as they bring extreme hardship to Nigerians as well as imperil our security and sovereignty.”

The Star