- By Femi Alabi
Your Allegation is Speculative – FG
Leaders of the organised labour on Sunday alleged that the government is making plans to frustrate its nationwide protests by attacking its members.
The Nigeria Labour Congress President, Comrade Joe Ajaero made the allegation in a statement signed by him and made available to newsmen on Sunday in Abuja.
NPO Reports that the NLC has concluded its plans for a two-day nationwide peaceful rallies for February 27 and 28 to register its displeasure with the state of the economy and general hardship.
The Federal Government has however denied the allegation saying it “speculative” .
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy Mr. Bayo Onanuga, said, by raising the allegation, “NLC is feeling guilty in hatching its hidden agenda influenced by partisan considerations’.
Onanuga who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the alleged attack, said the planned protest is illegal as it is against a subsisting order of court.
He said the NLC had hidden agenda because most of the issues raised by labour for embarking on the protest had been addressed by the government.
Ajaero in his statement titled, “As the State Prepares to Unleash Violence on us” alleged
that one of the groups being primed to attack the peaceful rallies is by a nebulous name, Nigeria Civil Society Forum (NCSF).
“NCSF is one of the emergency groups put together, funded, promoted and remote-controlled by government to cause violence against our members for electing to peacefully protest against the hunger in the land.
“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,” he said.
Ajaero insisted that the NLC and civil society allies were moving ahead with the protest rallies against economic hardship and insecurity in line with the decision of the National Executive Council.
“As citizens, we have a fundamental right to peaceful protest and history bears us witness that our protests are always peaceful except in instances of State-engineered violence.
“In light of this, 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,” he said.
Onanuga, however insisted that the issues raised by the labour had been addressed by the government, including the payment of wage award of N35,000 for six months.
He said the money had been paid to civil servants up till the month of January 2024 and only that of the month of February is outstanding.
The President’s aide said the federal government had inaugurated a 37-Member Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage to review and come up with an acceptable and sustainable Minimum Wage for the Nigerian Workers.
He said government had made substantial financial commitments on the provision of CNG Buses and conversion Kits.
According to Onanuga, the busses will be rolled out very soon to alleviate the transportation challenges being faced by Nigerians