Labour asks Gov Yahaya to pressure FG to address demands of workers
Ben Ngwakwe
The Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, Gombe State Council, Comrade Yusuf Aish, has asked Governor Muhammadu Yahaya, to put pressure on the Federal Government to address the demands of the union, adding that “Nigerians have suffered a lot within the few weeks of the removal of oil subsidy.”
Addressing the union members at the Pantami township stadium on Wednesday, Aish said that he read the address of the national body verbatim where the union reiterated the six-point demand which was the directives given to state councils by the national body.
The letter partly read, “We call on Federal Government to reverse all anti-poor policies of the federal government including the recent hike in PMS price, increase in public school fees, the release of the 8 months with-held salary of university lecturers and workers and increase in VAT.”
The letter also indicated that failure to meet their demands may lead workers to mobilize themselves for a nationwide strike action.
“To give the federal government a seven-day ultimatum within which to meet all our demands and to embark on a nation-wide action beginning from wednesday the 2nd of August, 2023 to compel the Government to reverse it’s anti- poor and anti- workers policies,” he added.
Also speaking, Isa Abubakar, the Chairman of Trade Union Congress said that they are in agreement with the demands of the NLC most especially the issue of reversing to old pump price of petroleum products which are critical to the lives and welfare of all Nigerians.
Responding, the State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, informed them that the six points demands raised in their letter are beyond the scope of the State Government.
Represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr Manassah Jatau, the Governor pointed out that the major problem in Nigeria is lack of communication and human relations that “culminated to these protests,” Yahaya said while promising to forward their requests to appropriate authority.
The Governor added that no matter the problems facing the Labour, that the State Government being a responsible Government will support their demands and would do whatever its can to ensure there is harmonious working relationship with labour and the State Government in the state.
Meanwhile, after a brief meeting held at the Labour secretariat where they finalised their strategies, the state chapter of Nigerian Labour congress staged a peaceful demonstration which was hitch-free to Pantami Stadium where the national body of NLC described removal of oil subsidy as anti-poor policies and anti-democratic.
It may be recalled that some of the demands of NLC are immediate reversal of all anti-poor policies including the recent hike in petroleum pump price, increase in school fees, fix the nation’s refineries as well as the release of
eight months withheld salaries of university lecturers, among others.
