The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has clarified that it is not the organizer of the planned nationwide hunger protest scheduled for August 1. The union responded to reports suggesting it had withdrawn from the protest organized by youths.
In a statement titled “The Nigeria Labour Congress cannot withdraw from a protest that it did not organise,” signed by NLC President, Joe Ajaero, on Wednesday, the union advised both the federal and sub-national governments to listen to the grievances of the hungry Nigerian populace and address the economic crisis.
“A news report of the withdrawal of the Nigeria Labour Congress from the widely discussed national hunger 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.
ALSO READ Nigerian govt holds emergency meeting over planned hunger protest
“The Nigeria Labour Congress stands in solidarity with the Nigerian people in these 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 the 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.”
The planned protest coincides with a newly released report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), indicating a significant rise in the prices of essential food items such as beans, tomatoes, Irish potatoes, garri, and yam in June 2024. The NBS reported an increase in headline inflation to 34.19 percent in June from 33.95 percent in May 2024, with food inflation rising above 40 percent.
According to the NBS’ Selected Food Prices Watch report for June 2024, the average price of 1kg of brown beans increased by 252.13 percent from ₦651.12 in June 2023 to ₦2,292.76 in June 2024. The average price of 1kg of tomatoes rose by 320.67 percent year-on-year from ₦547.28 in June 2023 to ₦2,302.26 in June 2024, while Irish potatoes saw a 288.50 percent increase from ₦623.75 to ₦2,423.27 over the same period. The price of 1kg of white garri rose by 181.66 percent from ₦403.15 in June 2023 to ₦1,135.51 in June 2024, and 1kg of yam tuber increased by 295.79 percent from ₦510.77 to ₦2,021.55.
In response to the inflation crisis, the Federal Government approved a 150-day duty-free import window for food commodities, including maize, cowpeas, wheat, and husked brown rice, aiming to address rising food prices and ensure food security.
President Bola Tinubu has appealed to Nigerians to cancel the planned ‘EndBadGovernance’ protest. On Wednesday, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, held a closed-door meeting with over 40 ministers to discuss the protest. Information Minister Mohammed Idris, who briefed the media after the meeting, urged Nigerians to give the government more time to resolve the economic challenges and assured that efforts are being made to address the issues.
ChannelsTV
