The Nigeria Labour Congress and affiliated unions have initiated their protest in Abuja, addressing concerns about the escalating cost of living, inflation, insecurity, and overall hardship prevailing in the nation.
The protest started at the Labour House Headquarters in Abuja at exactly 9:36 am.
Unions taking part in the protest include the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, the FCT Council, the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, and the Nigeria Union of Teachers and Construction Workers’ Union, among others.
Also present at the national protest are former Nigerian Country Director, ActionAid, Ene Obi; presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, among others.
The protesters were seen wielding placards with inscriptions such as “#End Poverty and Hunger. Support Local Industries#,” “Fix Local Refineries End Subsidy#;” “#End Naira Devaluation; Tax the Rich Subsidise the poor#” to make their grievances known about the current economic hardship across the country.
Before the protest started, the NLC President, Joe Ajaero said, “the government said we should not do a rally. They used peaceful means and threats, but we are in God’s hands. We are here for a rally so that Mr. President will know how Nigerians feel and know where it is pinching us.”
There have been a series of protests across the country over the cost of living among Nigerians.
The NLC and the Trade Union Congress issued a 14-day nationwide strike notice to the government on February 8 over the failure to implement the agreements reached on October 2, following the removal of the fuel subsidy.
The Federal Government’s failure to fulfill its promises after the 14-day ultimatum by Labour will be met with a two-day nationwide protest.
Organised labour, had last week Monday begun mobilising its members for a nationwide protest slated for February 27 and 28 over the cost of living crisis in the country.
However, barely 24 hours after the planned protests, the TUC said that it was not part of the planned protests declared by the NLC, noting that the decision to protest on February 27 and 28 as announced by the NLC was not taken collectively by both unions.
A last-minute meeting called by the Federal Government on Monday night to avert the proposed nationwide protest ended in a deadlock.
