The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has denied reports that it has withdrawn from the planned national protest addressing hunger and the high cost of living in the country.
In a statement on Wednesday, NLC President Comrade Joe Ajaero emphasized that the federal and sub-national governments need to heed the cries of the hungry Nigerian populace and take necessary action.
The statement, titled “The Nigeria Labour Congress cannot withdraw from a protest that it did not organise,” stated: “A news report of the withdrawal of the Nigeria Labour Congress from the widely discussed national protest has been brought to our attention. The Nigeria Labour Congress debunks such a story as patently false.”
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“The truth is that the Nigeria Labour Congress cannot withdraw from a protest that it did not organise. It is only the organisers of the speculated national protest that can decide to pull out or continue with the protest,” the statement continued.
The NLC highlighted its internal trade union mechanisms and leadership decision-making processes required before undertaking industrial actions such as protests. It also expressed solidarity with the Nigerian people amid the current economic hardships.
“Yet, the fact that the Nigeria Labour Congress is not the body organising the protest does not mean that Organised Labour is oblivious to the dire living conditions Nigerians have been subjected to by the harsh economic policies of the government. The Nigeria Labour Congress stands in solidarity with the Nigerian people in these very trying and excruciating times,” Ajaero said.
The NLC has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to invite the protest leaders to dialogue on their demands, warning that using brute force would be counterproductive. “We have advised that it would be counterproductive for the government to meet the widespread anger in the land with brute force,” Ajaero added.
“Once again, we implore the Federal Government and the sub-national governments to listen to the cries of the Nigerian people and do the needful. After all, it is said that the voice of the people is the voice of God,” the statement concluded.
