By Stephen Adeleye
The organised labour in Kogi on Wednesday, embarked on a peaceful protest to express their grievance over the current hardships facing Nigeria workers.
Labour, under the aegis of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) began the protest as early as 7.30 a.m.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workers converged at Ganaja flyover under bridge in Lokoja, chanting solidarity songs.
The protesters stormed the place carrying placards with various inscriptions such as: “Let the poor breathe, the poor are dying.
Others are, “Workers spend 70 per cent of their salary on transportation,” “Fix our refineries now,”.
NAN reports that police personnel and other security agencies were present to ensure a peaceful and hitch free protest rally.
Mr Samuel Obajemu, the state TUC Vice Chairman said the national protests were to express their grievances over the high cost of living due to the removal of fuel subsidy.
He noted that the subsidy removal had caused untold hardships on the Nigerian worker and the entire masses.
He added that the untold hardship could aggravate crime rate in the society.
“We expect that before the removal of fuel subsidy, some tangible palliatives should have been in place and that is what we are agitating for.
“We are not fighting against any government or their officials, we are only agitating that the government should have mercy on the masses.
“Organised labour is appealing to the government to have mercy on the masses, because it is the masses that voted for them.
“We are appealing to the government to please listen to the cries of the masses,” Obajemu said.
Also speaking, the NLC Vice Chairman, Mr Eleojo Opaluwa said their gathering today was to carry out a peaceful protest to press home their demands.
“We gathered here today to embark on peaceful protest to express our feelings and press home our demands,” Opaluwa said
He said the prices of commodities had skyrocketed in various markets and also the cost of transportation, saying that “Nigerians can no longer cope.”
Opaluwa said the Nigeria workers were at the receiving end because salaries and wages had remained the same.
“So, what we are doing here today is to carry out a peaceful protest rally,” he said.
NAN reports that the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, in charge of Zone 8, Babatunde Ishola, came briefly to monitor the protests.
NAN reports that the organised labour thereafter matched from Ganaja junction to the Kogi Government House, Lokoja. (NAN)