As clock ticks closer to the D-day of the Nigeria Labour Congress’s nationwide protest. CHRISTIAN APPOLOS, present opinion of Nigerians on the proposed 2 August protest.
NLC Should Go On Strike or Protest. Ogungbemi Olubolade, a Pharmacist. Strike action is legal tool to press on demands. So I think NLC should go on strike or protest. We cannot allow anybody to hold us to ransomed. However, has the labour done there home work, prepare and ready to sustain the action. After one week, will they be able to sustain it. While I fully support the proposed action, I equally beg NLC and it members not make mockery of themselves by starting but will not sustain it.
The Action Ought To Have Started…Razaq Sanni, University Non-Academic Staff. I think the strike is even coming a little too late, because the Nigeria Labour Congress ought to have stated either strike or protest before now. This government started by giving it very hot to Nigerians. They didn’t even allow us to take a breathe of air before dishing out policies that are worsening our living condition. However, I am really in support of strike or protest. It is better late than never. Meanwhile labour should ensure they have done everything expected of them in terms their ongoing negotiation with government. If truly government is being recalcitrant on coming up with implementable solution, I think the strike will help them to start thinking straight.
NLC’s Decision Is in Order. John Ameh, Investigative Journalist. NLC’s decision to embark on protest is in order. Government cannot continue to make promises it is not willing to fulfill. Also, deploying the court to thwart strikes is an illegality. The court cannot become an instrument of oppression, as it is often the case. Because once strikes are forestalled through three court, the government goes back to sleep and does nothing to ameliorate or address the concerns and hardship of workers and citizens at large.
The judiciary should stop issuing orders, stopping strike all over the country. The history is there that often, government deploys the court to stop strike. It is over a month government removed subsidy and promised palliatives, then NLC threatened strike they call for negotiation and at the same ran to court. Fast forward till now nothing concrete has been done.
The issue at hand affects every one, not just the civil servants. So the entire Nigerian citizens should join this NLC’s industrial action. Every Nigerian should join the action to register their displeasure over government’s nonchalance to addressing the problems that have risen as a result to fuel subsidy removal. To me, the action is a crusade to compel the government to begin taking concrete action to cushion the effect of the policy. As citizens, we have a duty to let the government know that it cannot continue make policies that deepens poverty in the country. After all during the campaign, they told Nigerians they will bring solution to our problems. In the first place, why should it be a big deal for government to provide efficient transport service across the major cities in the country. It is even scandalous that the Federal Capital Territory and other major cities cannot boast of efficient transport system. So we action notbwords.
NLC Is Mouthpiece Of Nigerians .Okezie Cosmas, Businessman. I believe that NLC’s proposed action is among the best actions that should be taken by workers and Nigerians at large at this time. Nigerians should also braze up to take more actions to put government in check. Nigerian citizens have been too quiet to successive governments and government is really taking the citizens for granted. The living condition of almost every Nigerian is tough and getting worst while our government officials live large. So far, the policies of the current administration is not favorable at all.
So I think the protest is our best chance to mount pressure on the government to make a change. Nigerians feel NLC is the voice of the people and we are banking on NLC to make a move.
So Nigerians to support NLC in the action. Some people may think or feel that labour unions are fighting for the interest of their members alone but the truth is that all the NLC is fighting for the interest of the generality of the citizens. So I feel if the citizens join hands with NLC, definitely we will achieve more. We cannot leave this fight for NLC alone because all the citizens are affected by the fallout of the hike in price of fuel. So this fight is not just NLC fight but a fight for the interest of all Nigerians.
Every Nigerian Should Join The Protest At Least For A Day. Adamu Muhammed, Civil Servant. Considering the reality on ground, NLC is right by insisting on protest. In fact strike action is better, since it is obvious that government is not proffering any tangible solution. The government of today ought to realize that Nigerians are wiser even though they are very patient. Even the few persons government usually deceive and use to suppress the entire citizen have understood that it is better government do that right thing for the interest of the masses. So NLC embarking protest is a welcome development. In fact Nigerians have been expecting it long ago.
We are in a serious problem in Nigeria right now and everybody is suffering. Therefore business owners and private organizations should join the industrial action. In fact there should be a road demonstration by all Nigerians to let government know that the citizens are not happy. So business owners should not concentrate on what they may lose if they didn’t open their place of business for a day or two. If there are no loses there won’t be gain. And right now, we need to actions that will make government understand our situation.
So every body should team up. Let’s shutdown every economic activity in the country for just a day or two, it will help our collective interest. So just one day or two is enough for a start. Citizens must start showing their power to government thought peaceful demonstration.
NLC Should Not Disappoint Nigerians This Time. Daniel, Journalist. Government’s attitude and action since the pronouncement of end to fuel subsidy removal, two pump price hike within a month and the news of tuition fees increase in public schools, calls for serious action by workers and Nigeria citizens. So NLC’s proposed protest is in order. Meanwhile NLC should from here onward be very sincere in what they do. I warn that NLC must ensure the protest holds. It should not be their usual noisemaking of embarking on strike but at the expected day, they do otherwise. I really believe that action against the polices that occasioned the suffering and hardship we face now, will send a great message to government and probably trigger a change.
Meanwhile Nigerians should back NLC. If truly Nigerians are suffering, their best choice then is to join the action.
The Action Is Long Overdue, I’ll Be On The Street .Oyewale Olaogun, Businessman. I support the NLC on this industrial action. In fact, the action is long overdue. To many Nigerians, NLC has been avoiding either going on strike or embarking on a serious protest against the Federal government since Buhari administration. At a point we the citizens thought NLC I getting kickbacks from government. People always said that strike or protest is the only language government understands, so it’s high time workers and Nigerians entered the street and let government know that survival of the citizens should be their top priority.
I Will Make Government Seat Up. Ita Edet Okon, Public Servant. The action will make government to seat up. And it will probably bring a positive solution to cushion the effect of the suffering and hardship we are currently gouge through in Nigeria. So support NLC’s decision for street protest and I will join the action.
Meanwhile, Nigerians should wake up from their slumber, support the NLC by joining the protest. Nigerians . It is time for Nigerians to begin to demand and bring about the change they want. We cannot be sitting in the comfort of our homes, suffering but wishing for change and a better Nigeria, it will never happen. We must let take action to let government know that we are not fools or stupid. Since the advent of this current pump price hike, businesses are closing down and most companies are retrenching staff.
More businesses will shutdown if the situation continue. How many workers do government employ in a year. We all know that it’s the private businesses that employer bulk of the country’s population, and government policies are rather causing businesses to shutdown, how do they want the citizens are being retrenched every day to cope? Therefore, I see NLC call for Nigerians to join the action as a call for national duty for the betterment of Nigeria. I support it and urge fellow Nigerians to heed the call.
It’s A Step In The Right Direction. Joshua Onoshoho, Interior Designer. NLC is right to challenge government’s poverty driven policies. In fact it is a step in right direction because government need to be checked. With the level of hardship and inflation Nigerians endured the last 8 years of Buhari administration, Nigerians expected to take at least a little rest as the new government came in. But unfortunately what we are seeing is worst. We expected policy shift from this government. So without a serious action; either strike or protest, we may wake up one day to see that fuel is sold at N1000 per litre.
To this end, my question to government is; these kind of policies you make, is it to help the citizens survive or to worsen their suffering? Because I do not understand how a government make a policy and see that the policy is killing the citizens yet it goes ahead to tell the citizens to endure while it lives so large.
NLC’s decision to challenge government to do the right thing in the interest of the survival of the citizens is the best news the suffering masses have heard so far. Nigerians are already pushed beyond the walls. I hope government will be able to withstand the reaction of the citizens, because the suffering and poverty in Nigeria may lead to serious revolt.
Nigerians should heed the call of NLC and join the action. Everybody is feeling the hardship, people can hardly go out with their cars. Nobody need to be told what is happening. In fact sit-at-home is already happening across Nigeria because a lot of people cannot move around because of high transportation fees. From transporters, to market women, girls and boys many people cannot go to work. So it’s time for Nigerians to be on the street. The middle class are moving down to poverty line while the people already in poverty line are moving to extreme poverty. Nigeria is in a serious crisis. The citizens must wake up and take action. Nigerians must support labour in this action.
The Issue Is Beyond Organised Labour, Citizens Must Wake Up. Mr Felix Khanoba, Public Analyst. Strike or a serious protest is what we need right now. Because every body in Nigeria maybe except the political class are passing through unbearable hardship as a result of government policies. As it is right now, Nigerians can not afford to be too soft to government. A total shutdown of economic activities either through protest or strike will send a serious message to government. The action will also help wake Nigerians up from the slumber of thinking that manner will always fall from heaven without demand or action for it. Nigerians are too docile. It’s time for Nigerians to begin action to check government. It’s obvious that government takes Nigerians for granted because no one has taken any serious action.
Frankly, the issue at hand has gone beyond the Organised Labour. Because even the non workers, people on the street, villagers, farmers, students, every body is feeling the situation. We are going to the same market, the same public transport. So everybody must join hand, it has to be a collective action and effort to hold government accountable. Nigerians should not just depend on the labour to do it for us. Every one should come out to support the labour on the protest against government bad policies. According to President Tinubu, they should allow the people to breathe and Nigerians must come out to stake a stand.
Industrial Action Has Become A Necessity Right Now. Abdulmalik Hassan, Doctor. The proposed action is very necessary because the way government removed the subsidy and the consequences that follows is totally unacceptable. Government took the action without anything on the ground for people to fall back to. Price of goods and services has gone up but salaries is still the same, and this has watered down the purchasing power of the citizens. The hardship that follows is unbearable. With all of these happening, the best action is for workers and Nigerians at large to hit the streets. We must make government know and understand the enormity of the suffering and hardship.
