3 months ago
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…Urges President to invite protest organisers for dialogue
…Tinubu, traditional, religious leaders caution youths against planned protests
By Ukpono Ukpong
As the date for the anticipated national protest approaches, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on President Bola Tinubu to take urgent steps to address the widespread public discontent over the state of the national economy.
This is as the NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, has also urged President Tinubu to engage with the protest movement’s leadership to address their concerns.
While emphasising the urgent need for government intervention, Ajaero said that millions of Nigerians are angry over the state of Nigerian economy.
“Millions of Nigerians are angry about the state of the national economy. A situation where most Nigerian families are forced to eat one miserable meal a day and eating from the dustbin is now seen as luxury beckons for serious intervention by the government,” the NLC president said in a statement on Monday.
Supporting recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the International Rescue Committee (IRC), Ajaero highlighted the severity of the economic crisis.
The NBS reports that about 133 million Nigerians live below the extreme poverty line, while the IRC noted that in the first two quarters of 2024, approximately 32 million Nigerians faced acute hunger.
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“When this statistic is added to the millions that are being recruited into the armies of the unemployed and under-employed Nigerians, one can easily situate the hardship, pain, frustrations, and despair that many Nigerians are going through right now,” Ajaero explained.
“The truth is that Nigerians have been hard pushed and super pressed right against the walls of deep deprivation and acute want,” he added.
Ajaero criticised the dismissive attitude towards the daily struggles of Nigerians, rejecting claims that the unrest is merely a politically sponsored dissent.
“Even if it is so, it is still within the confines of citizens’ rights to protest on political grounds,” he said, adding: “All that the hurting citizens demand from their government is a listening ear and an empathetic heart.”
Highlighting the plight of various affected groups, Ajaero noted: “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 will come from to be at ease.”
Ajaero emphasised the importance of respecting Nigerians’ right to voice their grievances. He pointed out that the NLC has previously protested against harsh economic policies, including significant hikes in fuel prices, increased electricity costs, and the duplication of user access charges for public utilities.
“The times require the government to ‘jaw jaw’ and not ‘war war’ with Nigerians,” Ajaero stressed.
“The truth is that you cannot smack a child and at the same time ask the child not to cry.”
More so, Ajaero warned that hostility towards protesters and other aggrieved Nigerians would not alleviate their suffering or address the root causes of their frustrations.
He urged the government to show empathy and engage in constructive dialogue to find solutions to the country’s economic challenges.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has urged youths not to carry out their planned protests against the Federal Government’s economic reforms.
Tinubu made the call in Abuja on Monday at a meeting of the National Council of Traditional Rulers, where he was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.
“Capitalising on the economic hardship in the country, some men and women with sinister motives have been reported to have been mobolising citizens, particularly youths, to stage a protest,’’ he said.
According to him, what is required of Nigerians in this critical period of economic reform is patience and commitment to the success of the reforms.
He urged Nigerians to learn from past experiences where crises and violence threatened the nation’s diversity and peace.
“Let’s learn from India and Sudan’s experiences. We are a country with more than 200 million people.
“Therefore, we can’t afford to have this kind of situation,’’ he said.
He said the present administration had put in place policies and programmes to ameliorate the economic hardship being experienced by Nigerians.
“We have procured Compressed Natural Gas vehicles, introduced students’ loan scheme, distributed palliatives, procured tractors, fertiliser, and other agric inputs,’’ he said.
He affirmed that the Federal Government is making concerted efforts to combat insecurity in the country.
“As a custodian of our culture, I would like you to carry the message of peace the young people and parents in your domains,’’ Tinubu said.
In his speech, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’adu Abubakar III, identified dialogue as the best option in resolving any conflict.
“What dialogue can’t resolve, no amount of violence can resolve. There must be peace.
Also speaking, the Ooni of Ife, Dr Adeyeye Enitan, pointed to patriotism among citizens as the key driver toward national development.
“Patriotism is synonymous to national cohesion. Any attempt to destroy national cohesion, therefore, must be resisted,’’ he said.
According to him, Tinubu has been working hard to put the county in a proper shape in spite of the challenges.
“Nigeria does not belong to any section of the country; it belongs to all of us,’’ he said.
In his address, the Chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal, Dr Mainasara Umar-Kogo described traditional institutions as the most effective local administration since the pre-colonial era.
He said some administrative reforms in the country had relegated their roles and subjected them to ineffective political values.
“We need their roles restored in our constitution so that we can preserve our socio-cultural values.
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