The Nigeria Labour Congress’ (NLC) protest over economic hardship nationwide was a huge success in Ibadan, capital of Oyo State, yesterday.Thousands of angry citizens, which include indigenes and non-indigenes of the state, joined in the protest to express their dismay over the current economic hardship.
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, also joined the leadership of the NLC and Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) to lament the high rate of hardship and poverty in the country.
Makinde, who wore a striped white T-Shirt, with a wine-coloured face-cap on jean trousers, joined the protesters at Total Garden, where he said the economic hardship had truly got to an alarming level. He also deplored the deteriorating economic situation of the country, saying that the situation required urgent and cogent solutions.
He assured the protesters of his support towards ensuring a better Nigeria. He, therefore, urged all parties to work together to find solutions to the hunger and hardship in the land.
The NLC Chairman, Kayode Martins, who decried the dire economic situation of the country, lamented the skyrocketing prices of essential goods and urged President Bola Tinubu to alleviate the hardship faced by citizens.
Chairman of ASUU, Prof. Aremu Ademola, also lamented the deteriorating economic conditions, emphasising the urgent need for intervention to address the rising hunger and hardship.
Meanwhile, there was a heavy security presence in Osogbo, the capital of Osun State, yesterday, as the Nigeria Labour Congress and other related unions, including judiciary workers and local council unions led the #EndHungerProtest.
Also, workers in Ondo State stormed the streets of Akure, the state capital, to protest against the prevailing economic hardship in the country. The protest was organised as part of a nationwide protest aimed at addressing the hardship faced by people and the alleged failure of President Bola Tinubu to implement agreements with workers.
The protesters, with placards of various inscriptions, such as “Stop the Hunger, Lower Food Prices,” “Fix Local Refineries,” among others, moved from the secretariat of the NLC at Alagbaka, Akure, to the Governor’s Office.
The state Chairman of the NLC, Victor Oladele-Amoko, said the protest became imperative due to the hunger and poverty in the land. Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, represented by the Head of Service, Taiwo Ogundele, while addressing the protesting workers, said that the government was aware of the hardships in the land,promising that their messages would be delivered to the appropriate authorities.
In the same vein, workers, under the auspices of the NLC, yesterday, paralysed activities in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, for four hours when they embarked on a peaceful protest to demand better living conditions.
The workers, led by the State Chairman of the NLC in Ekiti State, Kolapo Olatunde, said that the Federal Government had been economical with the truth about the running of government affairs and the welfare of workers across the country.
He warned the government against continued implementation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank-induced policies that have left the masses in untold hardship and pauperised.
