The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has urged President Bola Tinubu to dialogue with the leaders of groups planning to protest against the prevailing hardship in the country.
Ajaero stated that protesting is a right of citizens, and millions of Nigerians are angry about the state of the national economy.
In a statement released on Monday, Ajaero highlighted the severity of the economic situation, citing statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, and the International Rescue Committee (IRC).
He emphasized that many Nigerian families are struggling to eat one meal a day, and millions are living below extreme poverty lines.
Ajaero expressed concern about the government’s response to the protests, stating that describing citizens’ struggles as “sponsored political dissent” is condescending and dismissive.
He emphasised that citizens demand a listening ear and an empathetic heart from their government.
The NLC President stressed that during these difficult times, the right of Nigerians to complain must be respected.
He highlighted the organized labour movement’s protests against harsh economic policies, including the hike in petroleum prices, electricity costs, and user access charges to public utilities.
Sounding a note of warning to the Federal Government, he said it is the well-considered position of the Congress that bellicosity and hostility towards the protesters and other aggrieved Nigerians do not offer any tangible remedy either to the pain endured by the populace or the frustrations of having so little in a country where a few privileged persons are living in obscene luxury, especially at the expense of the majority.
His words: “As the date for the widely reported national protest looms, the Nigeria Labour Congress urges President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to invite the leadership of the protest movement for discussions on their grievances.
“These are dire times. Nigerians are angry. The times require government to “jaw-jaw” and not “war war” with Nigerians. 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. Solidarity forever,” Ajaero said.
