Subsidy Protest: Labour Leaders Concede After President Tinubu Parley
After a nationwide protest on Wednesday, the organised Labour has agreed to suspend further action on its opposition to fuel subsidy removal.
This was a fallout of a meeting between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the representatives of the workers.
At the meeting were the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) President, Joe Ajaero and his Trade Union Congress (TUC) counterpart, Festus Osifo.
The workers earlier in the day held protests across the country against the removal of fuel subsidy by the present administration.
The protests came after weeks of deadlocked negotiations between them and the government.
READ ALSO: President Tinubu Meets Labour Leaders In Aso Rock
The NLC, TUC, and other affiliate unions have been demanding a reversal of the government’s decision.
They resorted to protests after a National Industrial Court barred them from proceeding with a nationwide strike which was to commence on Wednesday, June 7, 2023.
Few hours after the protests were held across the country, the labour leaders were at the Aso Rock Presidential villa where they met with President Tinubu.
They felt satisfied with the promises made by the President and are now ready to stay further actions.
At the meeting, President Tinubu was said to have assured the workers that the Port-Harcourt refinery would certainly commence production by December this year.
Five major commitments were reported to have been made by the President during the meeting.
President Tinubu, according to a message credited to the NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, also pledged to ensure that an agreement is reached on the Wage Award for Nigerian workers immediately.
“PBAT (President Bola Ahmed Tinubu) promised to unveil a workable roadmap to the CNG alternative next week.
“PBAT committed to an immediate restructuring of the framework for engagement in line with the input of the Labour leaders.
“We have decided for a return to a new and reinvigorated dialogue process to allow for full implementation,” the message posted on NLC platform indicated.
The labour leaders are expected to make a formal announcement on suspension of the protests on Thursday.
READ ALSO: Tinubu Sends Second Ministerial List Today
Meanwhile, the workers made bold statements across the country, accusing the Federal Government of being insensitive to the plight of citizens.
In Abuja, the nation’s capital, over 5000 protesters stormed the National Assembly.
They first converged at the Unity Fountain, Abuja, from where they marched to the Federal Ministry of Justice before proceeding to the National Assembly.
However, following the failure of the security officials to grant them access, the angry protesters pulled down the gates and thronged into the assembly complex to vent their anger.
Their counterparts in Ogun declared that subsidy is a global practice.
The workers described the removal of fuel subsidy, hike in school fees and VAT as anti-people policies.
They also asked for the release of eight months withheld salaries of university lecturers and an end to “inhuman actions” and policies of the government.
Some of the inscriptions on their placards read: “Let the poor breathe, don’t suffocate them”, “Stop importation of petrol, revive the refineries now!”, “Stop the looting, tax the rich and subsidise the poor”, “Give workers what is due”.
The NLC Chairman in Ogun, Hammed Ademola said, “We have to be on the street, we must not wait until we die, our destiny is always in our hands and now is the right time for us to tell the government of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu that we Nigerians are suffering.”
“The fuel subsidy removal has caused a lot of hardship, untold hardship on the masses of this nation. We are suffering, we have crude oil yet we are still buying abroad, enough is enough”, Ademola said.
His TUC counterpart, Akeem Lasisi said “subsidy is a global practice, so it is unfortunate in this country that our own subsidy is marred with corruption.”
The TUC chairman added that, “instead of removing subsidy, the government should remove the corruption in subsidy.”
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Photo credit: Getty