Suspended Strike: Labour Let Us Down, Angry Nigerians React
The Organised Labour, Monday, came under criticism after it reneged on its promise to ensure the total reversal of tariff increases in electricity and fuel consumption.
Ethnic nationalities, regional groups, civil society organisations and political interest groups, including the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a swipe at the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) for calling off a nationwide protest scheduled for Monday, September 28, 2020.
The widely publicised protest had got angry citizens mobilised for result-oriented action until the negotiation team of the NLC and TUC made a volte-face after Sunday night’s consultation with SGF Boss Mustapha-led team that reportedly agreed to the temporary suspension of electricity tariff hike but retained the controversial market-driven pump price of fuel.
Despite the suspension of the proposed strike, protests rocked Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, and Benin, the Edo State’s seat of power over electricity tariff and fuel price hike.
Members of the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 And Beyond (ASCAB) and other members of civil society organisations, including the Joint Action Front (JAF), yesterday staged a peaceful protest across various streets of Ibadan, demanding immediate reversal of hike in electricity tariff and fuel price.
Membership of ASCAB includes NLC, TUC, Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), among others.
Leaders and members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU), ASCAB, JAF, including Comrade Femi Aborisade, Comrade Andrew Emelieze, Comrade Adebayo Titilola-Sodo, Comrade Rasheedat Adesina, Prof. Ademola Aremu, Prof. Deji Omole, Comrade Taofeeq Lawal, Prof. Adenike Ogunshe, market women, students and youths joined the protest. They sang solidarity songs along major streets of Ibadan. They chided President Muhammadu Buhari for compounding the economic woes of Nigerians.
The protesters took off at the Oyo State NLC office, American Quarters, Gate, and moved to Oje Market and landed at Beere, before heading to the State Secretariat Complex.
They carried placards bearing various inscriptions such as: ‘‘Don’t destroy this country,” “Nigerians are hungry,” “Reverse all privatization,” “reverse pump price hike,” “What is the outcome of NDDC/EFCC probe,” “We want to sleep with eyes closed,” “We say no to corrupt leaders,” “Stop importation of petrol, and others.
Speaking to journalists, the state’s Vice-Chairman of ASCAB, Femi Aborisade, said: “We are carrying out this peaceful march to protest unjustifiable and punitive economic measures being imposed on the Nigerian masses by the Federal Government. By section 14 (b) of the Constitution, the essence of government is to provide the basic welfare and security for the people
. The Federal Government has chosen to wage economic war against the Nigerian people. The labour movement, the market women, students and workers in Oyo State are out demonstrating against the increase in electricity tariff and fuel price.
As far as 2013, the Federal High Court had ordered that deregulation of petroleum products by which oil dealers will be selling oil at their whims and caprices is not only unconstitutional but also illegal, null and void. For the Federal Government to go ahead to deregulate petroleum products and allow oil dealers to increase prices at their whims and caprices shows that the Federal Government is lawless. Nigerians are saying the government should rule according to the law.
“In 2016, another High Court also declared the 45 per cent increase in electricity tariff to be unconstitutional, illegal null and void. Up till today, the Federal Government has not brought the DisCOs to justice.
“I oppose the compromise entered into by NLC and TUC leaderships. I oppose the resolution of betrayal of the interest of the Nigerian masses entered into by the leadership of the NLC and TUC. We must be governed by the rule of law.
The Federal Government has not brought to book the DisCos, oil dealers yet they are repressing the Nigerian people. I oppose an increase in fuel price, electricity tariff. Our government should not be lawless but should be law-abiding.
“When President Muhammadu Buhari was campaigning he said the government of Jonathan was fraudulent. He said when he got to power he would ensure that no increase would be imposed on the price of electricity and fuel. He has got there and started to increase the prices of electricity and fuel.”