Members of NLC protesting in Lagos
By Our Reporter
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Tuesday, February 27, 2024, started a two-day nationwide protest in Lagos state and Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.
The NLC had scheduled a nationwide protest for February 27 and 28 over economic hardship in the country.
In Abuja, the NLC also embarked on protest, the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, handed over the union’s letter of demands to the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Labour, Employment, and Productivity, Senator Diket Plang.
The demands included full implementation of the welfare provisions, employment generation, immediate subsidy to farmers, immediate subsidy to farmers to boost agricultural production, and fixing the four refineries among others.
Ajaero in his remarks at the National Assembly, said Nigerians embarked on the peaceful protests because there was hunger in the land, adding that “Nigeria is becoming like Zimbabwe.”
Ajaero noted that the minimum wage negotiation had started but the amount was yet to be decided.
He said that the protest would serve as a signal to the FG to immediately tackle the challenges bedeviling the country.
Plang, after receiving the letter assured the protesters that the demands of the NLC would be looked at and discussed immediately.
The NLC and other related unions commenced national planned protests on Tuesday over the high cost of living, inflation, insecurity, and hardship in the country.
The unions involved are the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, FCT Council, National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, Nigeria Union of Teachers, and Construction Workers’ Union, among others.
The protesters were seen carrying placards 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 on the current economic hardship across the country.
