The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a stern warning against any attempts to disrupt its planned two-day protest scheduled to commence on February 27, 2024, threatening a nationwide shutdown of its services should any attacks occur against its members.
In a statement released on Sunday and signed by its President, Joe Ajaero, the NLC affirmed its unwavering commitment to proceed with the planned industrial action, emphasizing the urgency for the Federal Government to address the prevailing economic crisis gripping Nigeria.
Despite pressure from the government for the group not to embark on the planned strike, the NLC said its members won’t be cowed to shelve their proposed nationwide protest.
The NLC said the Federal Government must put on its thinking cap and implement its agreement with Organised Labour as well as address the mounting economic crisis of survival in Nigeria.
Ajaero said, “All we are saying now is that; let there be food for the people, let the people live in safety, let the people live a life of dignity devoid of suffocating IMF/World Bank economic policies.
“We would want the State to know that the solution to our horrible economic situation and hunger is not by suppressing peaceful dissent or inflicting violence on peacefully protesting citizens as the government did in Minna and other cities where its agents tear-gassed and beat up women before locking them up for raising their voice against hunger. It does not lie in the deployment of State -sponsored terror. The pangs of hunger cannot be cowed by bullets or tear gas.
“In light of this, we at the Nigeria Labour Congress and civil society allies are moving ahead with our protest rallies against economic hardship and insecurity in line with the decision of the National Executive Council.
“We advise the State to put on its thinking cap and find solutions to the pains it continues to cause the people instead of further dehumanising them.”
In the event of any attacks on its members, the NLC warned of a total shutdown through the withdrawal of services by workers, asserting that neither they nor other marginalized Nigerians could be easily intimidated.
