Labour commences mass protests nationwide, as inflation rate surges to 7yr-high

Organised Labour have made do their threat to commence mass protests across the country from Wednesday, August 2 leading to a planned nationwide industrial action in a week’s time, as major state capitals have now mobilized for the action.

The Labor groups which accused the Bola Tinubu administration of initiating removal of subsidy on imported petrol without due consultations, in addition to failing to put in pace measures to ameliorate the hardship brought on the people by the scrapping of the subsidy regime.

President Tinubu had famously declared on his May 29 inauguration that there will be more subsidy on petrol, a move which triggered sharp hikes in the cost of living in the country, amid calls by workers for a review the minimum wage.

Planned strike action called by the Organised Labour last month was halted by a ruling of the National Industrial Court and intervention by the National Assembly which brokered an agreement with the groups.

The organised labour’s demands include; the immediate reversal of all anti-poor policies of the government including the recent hikes in petrol prices, school fees and VAT.

The labour unions are also asking the government to fix local refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna; release eight months withheld salaries of university lecturers (members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU) and workers.

Also, the organised labour is demanding that the government should accord appropriate recognition and support to the Presidential Steering Committee and the work of its subcommittees to put a stop to human actions and policies of the government.

Late Tuesday, the NLC had berated the action of persons described as ‘fifth columnists,’ which it said had misinformed the general public that it had reconsidered the protests.

NLC, in a statement signed by its President, Joe Ajaero, clarified that it had neither reconsidered nor suspended its planned nationwide protest scheduled for today (Wednesday), just as it insisted that its demands still remain the same.

“We want to inform all Nigerians that we have just risen from a meeting with the Federal Government where we sought to get them to listen to the demands of the people and workers of Nigeria.

“The outcome of this meeting earlier today has however not changed anything or the course which we have set for ourselves tomorrow as custodians of the interests and desires of Nigerian workers and people.

“Nigerians are advised to ignore the work of fifth columnists who are working hard against the wishes of the people. We urge everyone to gather in our respective states and wherever we may be across the nation to give vent to this collective resolve.

“Once again, the Nationwide Mass Protest will start tomorrow (Wednesday),” the statement by Ajaero read.

Earlier, Monday, Secretary of the NLC, Emma Ugbaja, after a meeting with the Nigerian government committee, earlier reportedly said that while President Bola Tinubu’s announced intervention measures were welcoming, they were not comprehensive enough.

Ugbaja had hinted that the organised labour comprising NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) would consult with their members to reach a consensus on the next course of action before the end of Tuesday ahead of Wednesday.

Meanwhile, in state capitals across the country, various labour groups staged protests in lie with their earlier threat to protest the crushing economic hardship in the country, occasioned by the petrol subsidy removal.

In Lagos, the Ikeja area was the scene of mass rally in protest against ‘anti-masses policies’ of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

A protest has also commenced in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital just as there is a reported heavy security presence in Kano, where protesters have gathered for mass action.

In Yenagoa, the Bayelsa Sate capital, the rally took off from OMPADEC Field, Amara as the protesters, who are mainly workers, marched to the Government House Gate.

In a related development, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has disclosed that the country’s monthly inflation rate has soared to a seven-year high in June, following decision by President Tinubu to scrap fuel subsidies and allow the currency to weaken before declaring a state of emergency to control staple food costs.

According to NBS, food prices rose 2.1% in the month, the most since May 2016, and annual inflation quickened to 22.8% from 22.4% in May.

The figure represents less than the median estimate of seven economists in a Bloomberg survey of 23%.