NLC Calls on President Tinubu to immediately Address Economic Hardship as Nationwide Protest Looms
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has broken its silence regarding the upcoming nationwide protest, urging President Bola Tinubu to address the widespread economic difficulties plaguing millions of Nigerians.
In a statement signed by NLC President Joe Ajaero, the congress voiced its deep concern over escalating poverty and hunger in the country, citing recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the International Rescue Committee (IRC). According to Ajaero, 133 million Nigerians currently live below extreme poverty lines, and 32 million have faced acute hunger during the first three quarters of 2024. Additionally, many more are falling into unemployment or underemployment.
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Describing the situation as “dire,” Ajaero criticized the government for dismissing these concerns as “sponsored political dissent” instead of addressing them. The statement highlights the harsh realities faced by ordinary Nigerians, including those who have lost jobs, struggling parents unsure of how to feed their children, and youths who have been unemployed for years while supporting elderly relatives.
The NLC’s statement continued, “It is very difficult to tell a Nigerian who has lost his or her job due to the current economic downturn to maintain their cool. It is very tough to advise a nursing mother who is unsure where the next meal for her suckling child is coming from to be at ease. It is a herculean task to demand patience from a youth who has been out of school for the past six years without a job and is burdened with aged parents to care for.”
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The congress criticized the government’s response to the economic crisis, which includes significant hikes in the price of refined petroleum products, increased electricity costs, and rising user fees for public services such as healthcare, water, and waste disposal. Ajaero emphasized that the government’s confrontational stance towards protesters and aggrieved citizens is not a solution to the widespread suffering and growing frustration among the populace.
“The times require government to ‘jaw jaw’ and not ‘war war’ with Nigerians,” the statement read. “The truth is that you cannot smack a child and at the same time ask the child not to cry. A stitch in time might still save nine!”
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According to reports, a significant number of Nigerians are expected to participate in a 10-day protest starting on August 1st, demanding improved living conditions and an end to economic hardship.
