A Civil Society Organisation (CSO), Lagos People’s Assembly (LPA) has urged the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to postpone its planned two-day protest for the sake of national peace and security.
The Convener of the group, Mr Gbenga Soloki made this known at a news conference in Lagos on Sunday.
Soloki said the organised labour should rather, opt for constructive engagement with the government, instead of disrupting the socio-economic life at this point.
It was recalled that the NLC had insisted on its planned protest against prevailing challenges in the country, in defiance to warnings by the Department of State Services, to shelve it.
The organised labour, on Monday, began mobilising its members for a nationwide protest slated for Feb. 27 and Feb. 28.
Soloki said the proposed protest at this point, would be injurious to the economic wellbeing of the people of Lagos State, Nigerians and a negation of what labour stood for.
“We recognise the right of the labour unions to embark on protests or strikes, as conscientious citizens and residents of Lagos state but embarking on such protest at this point will be counterproductive.
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“Lagos state as we all know is a volatile environment, and some anti-democratic elements may pull the state and Nigeria backwards, at the slightest opportunity.
“The trauma of the 2020 #EndSARS protests with its damage to limbs, destruction of life, public and private property still haunts us to date.”
Soloki, who is the President, Campaign Against Impunity and Domestic Violence, said the only solution to the economic challenges remained constructive engagements between the government and citizenry.
The convener said the Lagos state government had inaugurated its committee on the distribution of palliatives which was made up of eminent Nigerians.
He said the committee should be given the benefit of the doubt while urging other state governments to follow suit.
Soloki added that the palliatives would assist in ameliorating the economic challenges.
“Our group and others will monitor the various social intervention programmes, recently announced by the Lagos state government.”
He said this was to ensure they were judiciously executed for the benefit of the people, and we would also provide regular independent reports to the Lagos state government as our contribution.
Soloki promised that the group would at all times, hold government at all levels, accountable to the tenets of good governance, while also admonishing residents and the citizenry to be alive to their duties and responsibilities.
NAN
