Group plans national day of mourning, protest against mass poverty 

NLC seeks workers salary as first charge, LG autonomy

An Abuja-based group, Shall We Continue Like This Until We Die (SWECONLUWED) has said it has concluded plans to declare a national day of mourning and protest against mass poverty in the country.A statement by the group’s leader, Professor Michael Thompson, yesterday in Abuja said the Nigerian political space has been so corrupted that nothing good could come out of it.He added that only a clean break from the past and support for untainted and qualified independent candidates could heal the country in 2019 and beyond.

The group, which stated this during its national delegates’ conference at the weekend, disclosed that it was planning the nationwide protest and day of mourning to draw attention to the current bloodshed, suffering, maladministration and unending poverty in the land. It also declared that the game was over for those who plan to benefit from the politics of deceit in the 2019 general elections.

“For many decades, the political dynasty in Nigeria manifesting itself in various party colourations, and forms have continued to lead the country towards abyss, while  offering unfulfilled hope for restoration and healing,” the statement reads.It lamented that over 20,000 Nigerians have been killed, while over two million have been made refugees through orchestrated internal conflicts, terrorism and farmers and herdsmen clashes resulting in needless loss of lives. 

The group regretted that the killings, displacement of citizens and destruction of assets have continued on daily bases but the political elite have continued to pay lip service to the killings and destructions.

“The land is polluted with bloodshed, the country’s foundation quakes terribly, but they are not moved; they are busy rehearsing their tricks on how to comeback in 2019.  They play on the people’s religious and ethnic sentiments and vulnerability for their own selfish ends. Shall we continue like this until we die?, it queried.

The group argued that since former President Olusegun Obasanjo called for a national movement to save the country, the same old political hawks have started making plans to manipulate their way through and continue raping the nation. “This trick shall not stand; neither shall it come to pass,” it added

It, therefore, charged every Nigerian to key into the national renaissance and cautioned election administrators against any attempt to subvert the will of the people in the 2019 elections.Meanwhile, the Abia State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Uchenna Obigwe, has renewed calls for government at all levels to make payment of workers salaries a first charge and ensure local government autonomy in the amended constitution.

He also urged workers to ensure that they register and obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and vote for only pro-labour office seekers, especially in the executive arm of government.He told The Guardian after the state NLC Chapter commemorated its 40th anniversary in Umuahia, that there was the need for governments to carry workers along in their policy formulation and implementation.