By Uche Udude

Tired of the endless rising cost of food items and other needs, Nigerians across the country today, Wednesday, August 2, 2023, marched the streets in response to the call made by the Organised Labour Unions to protest Federal Government of Nigeria’s handling of fuel subsidy removal.

The organised labour, including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), are protesting endless rising cost of living caused by the galloping petroleum product cost after the sudden removal of fuel subsidy on May 29, 2023, the very day President Bola Ahmed Tinubu took over office from Muhammadu Buhari.

From that day, the cost of petrol jumped from N188 per litre to N500 per litre and today to as much as N650 per litre in some areas.

The overall hardship this development has caused an average Nigerian may never be captured in prints.

It seems therefore that in spite of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s plea in his latest Special National Broadcast that the suffering will be temporary, most Nigerians choose to protest the situation alongside the Organised Labour.

So, today, the first day of the Organised Labour’s strike/protest, NewsOrient Network reports that in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, as some protesters stormed the National Assembly premises to meet with federal lawmakers, they met the first gate firmly locked against them.

In their anger, they shook the colourful iron gate until it gave in and fell to the ground.

Reports confirmed that apart from Abuja, the FCT, the protests held in most states of Nigeria, including Lagos, Abia, Kano, Ogun, Ebonyi and Rivers.

In Kano State, the protesters were received at the Government House by the Secretary to the State Government, Baffa Bichi, who assured them that the government will do its best to help the suffering citizens.

In Lagos, reports said one of the people that addressed the protesters was Femi Falana SAN. He advised them to hold their representatives accountable.

The protests followed failure of numerous proposed meetings between the Organised Labour, led by NLC and TUC, and the Federal Government of Nigeria.

NLC’s demands include: implementation of the resolutions the Congress jointly signed with the government and Trade Union Congress;

Immediate reversal of all anti-people policies of Nigerian government, including the recent hike in petrol price, school fees and VAT.

The Organised Labour also wants the government to repair and revive local refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna;

Release of eight months withheld salaries of university lecturers and workers, amongst others.

Photo Credit: Daily Post Nigeria