NLCS’s Reactions To Worsening Plight Of Nigerians Since May 29 Tell A Sad Tale -By Isaac Asabor

There is no denying the fact that in less than two months since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was inaugurated as the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on May 29, 2023, that not a few Nigerians who voted for and against him during the last presidential election through which he rose to power have been battling with a kaleidoscope of hardships like never before so much that the Central Working Committee (CWC) of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) at its meeting held on Tuesday, July 25, 2023, call for the immediate reversal of all anti-poor policies of the federal government including the recent hike in PMS price, increase in Public School fees, the release of the 8 months withheld Salary of University lecturers and Workers and increase in VAT.

In the same vein, the CWC called for the immediate inauguration of the Presidential Steering Committee as agreed in the earlier consequential dialogues, and also call for the commencement of the building across the nation of a Coalition of all Nigerians where all will be leaders and followers.

Also, they called on all Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and Nigerians wherever they may be to begin mobilization to take action on their own to save the nation and to lead and organize mass protest rallies across the nation to demonstrate outrage against the inhuman actions and policies of the government.

Also in its Communique, the CWC gives the federal government a Seven – Day ultimatum within which to meet all its demands and to embark on a nationwide action beginning on Wednesday the 2nd of August, 2023 to compel the government to reverse its anti-poor and anti-workers policies.

The union leaders at the meeting called on CSOs that were in attendance to in turn direct their affiliates and State Councils to begin immediate mobilization and closely work with associations, individuals, and other entities including the ones already on the streets to ensure that government listens to the people.

CWC-in-Session arrived at the foregoing resolves or Communique “after exhaustively deliberating on the crippling economic situation facing Nigerians and its attendant consequences of mass suffering, poverty and angst pervading Nigerian workers and peoples which are clear resultants of the insensitive policies and actions of the present Administration;

“Recalled that on the 29th day of May 2023, the President of the federal republic gave Nigerians an inaugural shocking gift by increasing the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from N185 to N500; this action was strongly condemned by various Organs of Congress because of the massive suffering it imposed on the lives of Nigerians.

The union flayed consequent action taken by the federal government through the instrumentality of the NNPCL as it effected a further hike in the price of PMS to N617 per litre without addressing the dire consequences that the earlier hike had imposed on Nigerians and noted that other anti-poor policies have since been unleashed on Nigerians which have left workers,the masses reeling and deeply impoverished.

Prior to arriving at the foregoing resolve to embark on the proposed strike, CWC-in-Session noted that the federal government has shown enormous disdain and contempt for Nigerian people and workers having acted and continued to act without regard to the welfare and cries of the citizenry and that the government seems to have declared a war of attrition on Nigerian workers and masses without any care as they left them to the throes of hopelessness and helplessness.

In a similar vein, NLC noted that the federal government has refused to put in place safeguards to protect Nigerians from the harsh economic situation that its policies have inflicted on the people, rather it has decided to insult the sensibilities of the Nigerian masses by offering them N8, 000 per family and offering themselves N70b.

The Committee clarify its stand by saying that the federal government has frustrated and abandoned its own Committee which was a product of social dialogue between the government and workers organizations in the country. While the Committee has not met, the government embarked on unilateral actions and programmes.

It noted that since Mr President’s “subsidy is gone forever” speech on inauguration day; the peace of mind of Nigerians has gone; decent living went increasing despair of unimaginable dimensions. It added that the federal government has continued to treat Nigerians as Slaves and conquered people which it treats with impunity without any concern on the consequences.

Still among the list of its grievances is that the federal government has continued in an unholy mission of robbing the poor to pay the rich in Nigeria as typified by its continued frustration with the activation of the agreed alternatives to Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and new hike in prices of PMS to N617 per litre.

The committee in its grouse said the federal government has continued to promote the gang-up of the ruling elite against Nigerian people and workers, and noted that it has observed that the federal government has continued to churn out policies designed to emasculate Nigerian workers and people through not just increases in PMS prices with its spiralling effect but also increases in VAT, increases in School fees across all publicly-owned Secondary and tertiary institutions of learning

Still, in the same vein, it noted that the NNPCL has turned itself into the forces of demand and supply and fixes the price of Petroleum products while mouthing deregulation, and alleged “That Government’s conduct suggests it does not intend to commit itself to the MoU it signed with NLC and TUC.

It pointed out “That Nigerians are outraged and have been putting pressure on the NLC to lead them in protest against the increases in the pump price of PMS, and “That the pressure has come to a breaking point and given the Government’s continued indifference to the plight of the poor, resolved that It would not be a party to the killing of poor Nigerian workers and masses.

Last on the list, which is invariably the fourteenth point reached at the meeting before taking the decision, is “That it is the responsibility of men and women of conscience propelled by patriotic zeal to take necessary action to protect democracy and our beloved nation since it is clear that the federal government is not interested in discussions having exhausted half of the agreed 8 weeks without activating the Presidential Steering Committee”.

Given NLCS’s reactions to the worsening plight of Nigerians since May 29, it may not be wrong to conclude that the deteriorating socio-economic situation across the country leaves a sour taste in the mouth, or simply put, it tells a sad tale, particularly as the administration has not even lasted for 2 months.