The Nigerian Labour Congress, Bayelsa State state council today carried out a peaceful protest in Yenagoa, the state capital against what the it terms anti-people and Labour policies of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s led Federal Government.
National Wire which monitored the protest reports that the members of the organized Labour said the suffering citizens of Nigeria, irrespective of creed or tribe are facing calls for urgent concern.
The NLC also alleged that there is a scam in the name of removal of petrol subsidy, just as they called on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency halt all perceived anti-Labour and people policies.
The protest which ended at the state’s seat of power, Government House, Yenagoa had the state’s NLC Chairman, Comrade Barnabas Simon making presentation of a letter detailing the reason for their protest and expectations after the protest to the state Governor, Senator Douye Diri, saying the Governor is expected to in turn transmit same to President, Bola Tinubu.
Addressing Journalists, Comrade Simon said: “The removal of fuel subsidy was hasty with no thought-out plans to cushion its effects on workers and other Nigerians already at the poverty belt.
“Every family feels the fanny of the hardship of government which has resulted in the astronomical increase in transportation,food,goods,and services, tuition fees, rising cost in accessing quality health care.
“Government ought to look out for the well being of its citizenry, but such hope is dashed as today’s reality shows that the priority of government has shifted from that direction. Permit me to remind government that it was expected that the organize labour would have been consulted and brought on board the negotiation table to seek ways of ameliorating the effects that would come with subsidy removal on the ordinary Nigerian.
“Even after the inauguration of the Federal Government Committee on the matter, the usual foot dragging became the other of the day.Consequently,we stand with our National leadership to embark on this peaceful protest rally to register our displeasure over the developments in recent months”.
Addressing the protesters, the state Governor, senator Douye Diri, represented by the Commissioner for Labour and Productivity, Mr Stanley Braboke noted that he feels the plight of the organized Labour and other Nigerians.
He said: “There’s no doubt that subsidy removal has caused lots of hike in the prices of goods and services across the nation.
“Programmes and Policies of the Prosperity Administration are people oriented. Our programmes and Policies are for the purposes of bringing welfare and to provide conducive environment for Bayelsians to strive in all their endeavors”.
Mentioning some of the policies of and programmes carried out by his administration to cushion the effects of the removal of subsidy, Governor Diri he recently unveiled the ‘Prosperity Transport’.
He expressed confidence that he would continue to add value to Governance in the state by rolling out good and people friendly policies and programmes so that citizens and residents of the state would not continue to feel pains from the Federal Government’s policies.
