The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has said that it’s hands are not part of the planned nationwide protest over the current economic hardship the country is facing.
President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero made this clear in a statement duly signed by him on Wednesday.
“The Nigeria Labour Congress cannot withdraw from a protest that it did not organize,” the statement said.
According to the NLC, there are laid-down procedures for making decisions, and its people would not take part in a protest without following due processes. However, the union expressed its support for Nigerians who are facing difficult living conditions due to tough economic policies.
The NLC has called on President Bola Tinubu to come to discuss with the leaders and advised against approaching it in a brutal and cruel manner. The union urged the federal and state governments to give listening ears to the people’s cries and come to their aid.
The statement reads in part, “A news report of the withdrawal of the Nigeria Labour Congress from the widely discussed national protest has been brought to our attention. The Nigeria Labour Congress debunks such a story as patently false.
“The truth is that the Nigeria Labour Congress cannot withdraw from a protest that it did not organise. It is only the organisers of the speculated national protest that can decide to pull out or continue with the protest.
“The Nigeria Labour Congress has internal trade union mechanisms especially leadership decision-making processes that its industrial actions such as protests pass through before such activities are undertaken.
“Yet, the fact that the Nigeria Labour Congress is not the body organising the protest does not mean that Organised Labour is oblivious of the dire living conditions Nigerians have been subjected to by the harsh economic policies of government.
“The Nigeria Labour Congress stands in solidarity with the Nigerian people in this very trying and excruciating times.
“Pursuant to proactive engagement with the issues canvassed by the protest organisers, we have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to invite the leaders of the protest movement to dialogue on their demands.
“We have advised that it would be counter-productive for government to meet the widespread anger in the land with brute force.
“Once again, we implore the Federal Government and the sub-national governments to listen to the cries of the Nigerian people and do the needful. After all, it is said that the voice of the people is the voice of God.”
