A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has urged the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to always engage in a constructive dialogue with the government in resolving any labour matter instead of protest and strike.
Convener of the group, Adamu Matazu, said this on Tuesday while leading about 100 CSOs on a rally in support of the economic policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Matazu said that instead of leading workers to protest, NLC should always engage with the government and suggest better ways of making life easier for the common man.
“We want to lend our collective voice to the happenings in our country. Today the NLC has converged to protest against hardship in the land.
“We disagree with the NLC on this protest because there are other Nigerians that are not employed and we are representing them; we are their voice.
“The government of President Bola Tinubu inherited enormous challenges and he is doing everything possible to free the country from the shackles of economic degradation.
“Mr president removed fuel subsidy from day one and that is the sign of a leader who is willing and committed to resolve the economic challenges facing the country,” Matazu said.
He described fuel subsidy as a cancer that has held the economy down for about two decades and urged the NLC not to ground the economic activities of the country or exacerbate the issues on ground.
Matazu said that insecurity in the country has risen to an alarming state but that efforts are on to tackle it.
He also called for a new minimum wage for workers to cushion the effect of escalating hardship, rising poverty, hyperinflation and soaring prices of essential commodities.
He, however, said that the challenges facing the country are multifaceted and as such require all hands to be on deck to solve them.
“It is crucial to emphasise that while these concerns are legitimate, protests are not and will never be a viable solution.
“President Tinubu’s administration has demonstrated a dedicated commitment to addressing these challenges with the urgency they deserve.
“While we stand united with the NLC in advocating for the legitimate demands of workers, we vehemently oppose any attempt to disrupt economic activities through unnecessary protests.
“Such actions can be easily exploited by miscreants, leading to mayhem and destruction.
“At this critical juncture, the transparency exhibited by President Tinubu’s administration in addressing inherited challenges should not be overlooked.
“It is only through collaborative efforts that we can effectively address the multifaceted problems to navigate our nation out of these challenges; together, we can build a sustainable and prosperous future for all,” Matazu added.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the group marched from the Unity Fountain to the National Assembly complex where they submitted their position letter to the authorities.
An official of the Sergeant at Arms office of the National Assembly, Malam Sani Zakari who received the group’s position paper, expressed gratitude over the peaceful conduct of their members during the rally.
Zakari promised to convey their message to the leadership of the National Assembly.
